Rome, September 23, 2023
For years now, Rome has been witnessing the recurrence of dramatic waste collection crises. The latest, perhaps the most serious due to its duration, was from early May to the end of July this year. The indecent spectacle witnessed by residents and tourists in the historic center is just the tip of the iceberg. In entire suburban and semi-suburban neighborhoods, waste accumulated in the streets and remained to rot under the scorching summer sun, causing a clear risk to the health of residents and tourists.
Rome’s waste tax is the highest in Italy. A group of residents in the Spinaceto area of Rome has launched a petition against Rome’s mayor and city council to address the waste emergency crisis plaguing several working class areas of the city. The situation has become a public health hazard and risks to precipitate into a broader emergency. The immediate demand targets an 80 percent reduction in the waste tax for the period of disservice, as the citizens right has been reduced by bureaucratic obstacles.
The petition (https://www.change.org/riduzione-tari) has already surpassed 14,000 signatures. The following is the full English text:
For the last several months, Rome has been afflicted by a severe garbage emergency crisis. Entire neighborhoods have been transformed into open-air landfills, due to the inefficiencies of the AMA waste management authority and the negligence of the Municipality of Rome which should have monitored the authority’s actions and intervened. Due to these conditions, it is IMMORAL as well as LEGALLY CONTESTABLE for the city to demand full payment of the first 2023 installment of the TA.RI. waste tax currently set for 31 July 2023.
WE THEREFORE DEMAND
to the mayor of Rome ROBERTO GUALTIERI, to the Councilor SABRINA ALFONSI and to the AMA MANAGEMENT leaders the implementation in favor of ALL OF ROME’S RESIDENTS of an 80 PER CENT TARIFF REDUCTION on the second TA.RI. INSTALLMENT 2023 as provided for in article 15 paragraph 1 of the Regulation for the discipline of the waste tax (TA.RI.), which is reported here in full: “In the event of failure to carry out waste management services, or in case its performance is in serious violation of the relevant regulations, as well as service interruption for trade union related reasons or for unforeseeable organizational impediments that have led to a situation recognized by the health authority as causing damage or danger to people or the environment, the waste tax (TARI) is reduced by 80 percent.
WE ALSO DEMAND
to urge the competent offices of the ASL to collectively issue for the entire municipal territory the report on the status of “DAMAGE OR DANGER TO PEOPLE OR THE ENVIRONMENT” CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF, OR IRREGULAR COLLECTION OF WASTE, FOR WHATEVER REASON THIS HAS OCCURRED AND IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING.
ROME IS NOT A LANDFILL! WE DEMAND RESPECT!