ROME—Recent revelations over the alleged dumping of radioactive waste and other waste material by the Italian mafia in the Mediterranean Sea have alarmed Southern Italy, especially the Calabria region.
Francesco Fonti, a former member of the Calbreze mafia Ndrangheta, told prosecutors earlier this month that he was personally involved in sinking two ships containing radioactive waste, the Yvonne A and Voriais, according to Italian media reports.
According to Fonti, the vessels contained toxic waste from pharmaceutical companies who paid the mafia between 1.5 and 15 million euro (US$2.2 and US$22 million) per ship to sink them.
Fonti says at least 30 ships containing radioactive waste have been sunk over the last 20 years.
Italian authorities have discovered one of the ships around 17 miles off the coast of Calabria, containing 120 containers. Authorities are now investigating whether they contain toxic waste.
Calabrian mayors have threatened with protests if the government doesn’t clear things up soon.
“We want to know if there is toxic waste. We cannot live with this terror,” said Aurelio Garritano, deputy mayor of Longobardi, to Ansa Agency. He added that “if the government won’t send us money to clean up, Calabrian deputies and senators should resign because they clearly aren’t capable of making their voices heard.”
Past investigations into the alleged dumping of toxic waste had been closed without much investigation.
Francesco Fonti, a former member of the Calbreze mafia Ndrangheta, told prosecutors earlier this month that he was personally involved in sinking two ships containing radioactive waste, the Yvonne A and Voriais, according to Italian media reports.
According to Fonti, the vessels contained toxic waste from pharmaceutical companies who paid the mafia between 1.5 and 15 million euro (US$2.2 and US$22 million) per ship to sink them.
Fonti says at least 30 ships containing radioactive waste have been sunk over the last 20 years.
Italian authorities have discovered one of the ships around 17 miles off the coast of Calabria, containing 120 containers. Authorities are now investigating whether they contain toxic waste.
Calabrian mayors have threatened with protests if the government doesn’t clear things up soon.
“We want to know if there is toxic waste. We cannot live with this terror,” said Aurelio Garritano, deputy mayor of Longobardi, to Ansa Agency. He added that “if the government won’t send us money to clean up, Calabrian deputies and senators should resign because they clearly aren’t capable of making their voices heard.”
Past investigations into the alleged dumping of toxic waste had been closed without much investigation.
