Current:Home > InvestEuropean court says Italy violated rights of residents near Naples over garbage crisis -EliteFunds
European court says Italy violated rights of residents near Naples over garbage crisis
View
Date:2025-04-17 14:34:49
ROME (AP) — Italy violated the human rights of residents living in and around Naples by failing to manage a 15-year garbage and pollution crisis that contributed to higher mortality rates from cancer in the area, the European Court of Human Rights ruled.
The preliminary verdict announced Thursday from the Strasbourg-based court is the second major one in recent years to find that Italy’s failure to collect, treat and dispose of tons of waste in the Campania region adversely affected residents’ personal well-being.
Residents of the area have long complained about adverse health effects from the dumping, which has poisoned the underground wells irrigating the farmland that provides vegetables for much of Italy’s center and south. The area is known as the “land of fires,” since the accumulated waste is commonly burned, spewing toxic fumes for kilometers (miles).
Authorities say at least some of the contamination is due to the local Camorra mob’s multibillion-dollar racket in disposing of hazardous waste. The Strasbourg court didn’t identify who was behind the solid waste crisis under study in Caserta and San Nicola la Strada and the pollution at a landfill site.
The court found that Italy violated residents’ rights during a state of emergency over the garbage crisis from 1994-2009 by failing to take measures to protect their private and family rights.
The 19 claimants had presented the court with government-commissioned studies on the health impacts of the resulting pollution over the years. The studies found that the risk of mortality associated with a host of cancers — tumors of the stomach, liver, kidney, and lung, among others — as well as heart malformations were higher in the provinces of Naples and Caserta than the rest of the region, the ECHR judgement reported.
The verdict, known as a chamber judgment, is not yet final. Both sides have three months to ask for the case to be heard by the court’s grand chamber. Once a final ruling is reached, Italy would have to submit an action plan outlining how it intends to implement the findings.
As a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, Italy is legally obliged to implement the court’s rulings.
veryGood! (128)
Related
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- App State cancels football game against Liberty in North Carolina after Helene causes flooding
- Shohei Ohtani 50-50 home run ball: Auction starts with lawsuit looming
- People are supporting 'book sanctuaries' despite politics: 'No one wants to be censored'
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- Tips to prevent oversharing information about your kids online: Watch
- Will Taylor Swift go to Chiefs-Chargers game in Los Angeles? What we know
- The Fate of Thousands of US Dams Hangs in the Balance, Leaving Rural Communities With Hard Choices
- Costco membership growth 'robust,' even amid fee increase: What to know about earnings release
- Here's how Lionel Messi, Inter Miami can win second title together as early as Wednesday
Ranking
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Bachelor Nation's Kaitlyn Bristowe Reveals Nipple Cover Wardrobe Malfunction Ahead of 2024 PCCAs
- Gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson treated for burns received at appearance, campaign says
- Georgia-Alabama just means less? With playoff expansion, college football faces new outlook
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- The State Fair of Texas opens with a new gun ban after courts reject challenge
- What to watch: George Clooney, Brad Pitt's howl of fame
- Indicted New York City mayor adopts familiar defense: He was targeted for his politics
Recommendation
Average rate on 30
Ariana Madix Weighs in on Vanderpump Rules' Uncertain Future—and the Only Costars She Talks to
George Clooney and Amal Clooney Reveal What Their Kids Think of Their Fame
Sean Diddy Combs Accused of Rape and Impregnating a Woman in New Lawsuit
Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
Maryland man convicted of shooting and wounding 2 police officers in 2023
Apalachee football team plays first game since losing coach in deadly school shooting
NY judge denies governor’s bid to toss suit challenging decision to halt Manhattan congestion fee