Italy in Europe’s crosshairs for 12 landfills still out of standard. Already 32 landfills have been brought into compliance with the European directive number 31 of ’99 but the last ones still outlawed are accused by the EU Commission, which has invited Italy to respect its obligations.
The 1999 directive established criteria for landfills to prevent negative effects on human health, water, soil and air. Member States should have closed within 10 years, ie by 16 July 2009, all landfills that did not comply with the requirements, unless these landfills provided adequate “site improvement plans” enabling them to continue accepting waste destined for disposal.
Ten years later, on 29 March 2019, the EU Court of Justice ruled in a ruling that Italy had failed to guarantee the definitive closure and remediation of 44 non-compliant landfills.
Today of the 44 dumps are closed, as per commitment, 32 landfills but another 12 are still active. The Commission has sent Italy a letter of formal notice pursuant to Article 260 of the Treaty giving it 2 months to remedy the situation, after which the Commission may decide to refer the case to the Court of Justice.