Survive Naples

News outlets are reporting today that Italian government officials are planning to declare the worst of the Naples trash crisis over. During recent weeks there has been a noticeable effort to pick up garbage piles throughout the suburban areas of Naples. Large trucks accompanied by small front loaders have scooped up garbage by the ton. Great, right? Well….not so fast.

Illegal dumping sites have been picked up intermittently and replaced with caution tape and lye to cover the scent of the decaying garbage. Smaller pieces of litter are left behind and are present on nearly every inch of every road. Many legal dump sites, those where dumpsters are placed, have had their piles collected, but the dumpsters are either not returned or are placed back on the ground on their sides or upside-down. The piles then begin to accumulate in the same place

Has there been improvement? Yes. Is the worst over? That remains to be seen.