European Court Rules Italy Failed to Protect Residents in Mafia-Linked Toxic Waste Scandal

The court found Italy violated the right to life by neglecting decades of illegal waste dumping in the 'Land of Fires,' leading to health crises and environmental devastation.

• The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italy violated the right to life of residents in the Campania region by failing to address toxic waste dumping linked to the Camorra mafia since 1988.
• The region, known as the 'Land of Fires,' has experienced elevated cancer rates and environmental contamination affecting 2.9 million residents across 90 municipalities.
• The court ordered the Italian government to develop a comprehensive plan to address the pollution, monitor health impacts, and prevent further harm to residents.
• Illegal dumping of hazardous industrial waste, primarily from northern Italy, has polluted groundwater, farmland, and air, with devastating health consequences, including cancer and birth defects.
• Residents, activists, and religious leaders have faced threats and violence for exposing the issue, while government action has been criticized as slow, inadequate, and complicit.

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