By now the streets in the government are also separated on environmental issues. The the Cinquestelle do not like incinerators and waste-to-energy plants. For their Northern League allies and a part of the left, however, they are necessary. Hypothesis of blocked construction sites and money, even before being put into the field. Not only. While the Cinquestelle raise the bar of the clash, the League awaits the discussion in Parliament of its bills to build plants in each Region. Garbage stays where it is produced. An industrial use is made there. The European Court of Justice has placed its burden by accepting an appeal by environmentalists opposed to incineration plants.
On Monday, Environment Minister Sergio Costa went to Campania to say that the fourth line of the Acerra incinerator will not be built. “If the governor of Campania insists and goes ahead with his proposal, I will block him”. Minister's word. To be on the merits of things, it is yet another dispute between the two government allies. Because systems are useful for many, superfluous for a few, outdated for a minority.
In Campania a political game is also being played and the field of those who want infrastructures is really wide. Go all the way to the left. To Pd governor Vincenzo De Luca who is asking to upgrade Europe's largest waste-to-energy plant, which has been in operation for ten years now. De Luca is worried because in September the plant will close for work and that there will be a new regional emergency. Costa said that there is no talk of new jobs, just when the other front hopes to stop paying the 120 euro fines to Europe for past infractions. A shrewd political move in favor of industrial structures, but little received by the Minister, who is also aware of facing a clash with De Luca.
But let's talk about the legal business of waste. The Acerra plant managed by A2A is the symbol of the battle clean from the Berlusconi-Bertolaso era. It was the two of them who put it to work in the midst of an epochal crisis of poor garbage management with the image of Naples humiliated around the world. The left in Campania's government is still licking its wounds over that affair which needed to be controlled above all from an industrial point of view. We experienced sad moments with Costa himself who then supervised that land of fires with the ranks of officer of the Guardia di Finanza.
Now the fear that after the summer Campania could fall back intonightmare of streets submerged in rubbish of all kinds it is also from the mayor of Benevento, Clemente Mastella who a few days ago requested the convening of the general states of the capital municipalities and provinces to minimize the impact on citizens of a closure that will last 40 days. The national government stays with us, wrote the former minister.
Costa said, however, that the situation is under control; that the data on separate waste collection is positive; and that the trend will continue to grow; that the Land of Fires remains under special surveillance and in a few days the epidemiological data of the vast area affected by fires and illegal spills will be presented. The responsibility, concluded the minister, belongs to him and new plants are not needed to manage waste in Naples and elsewhere.
De Luca for his part is committed to composting plants, with millionaire investments and assignment of the works within this year. He certainly doesn't want to arrive at the new regional elections with problems regarding waste and the environment. For this he will also be pleased to know that thanks to new plants, all of Italy could save 700 million euros a year in energy bills out of a total of about 10 billion. The good estimate of researchers from the Bicocca University's Center for Economics and Service Regulation is circulating these days and makes us understand the usefulness of energy drawn from waste disposal. No more landfills, as the European Union says, the virtuous circle of disposal is activated.
Too bad that in Italy there are still landfills. As for the industrial operations on the waste cycle, let them know that they have been carrying them out abroad for years with excellent environmental and energy results. Can't you believe it? On the Acerra plant, A2A declares that the three functioning lines produce 633.000 kilowatt hours of electricity for over 200 families. An important segment of consumption in the province of Naples by treating unsorted rubbish. These data are useful for everyone, even for those who only see differentiated waste collection, without plants. Important numbers to fully understand how to face the future. How this controversy, local and national at the same time, will end, is not known. It is only certain that the game on waste facilities, in Campania and beyond, will not end anytime soon.
