A new operation of environmental control and transparency starts from the provinces of Naples and Caserta Land of fires. The Coldiretti Caserta has begun mapping agricultural waste present on cultivated land, with the aim of recording and classifying the plastics used in agricultural activities and often visible at the edges of fields.
The staff are carrying out inspections in 34 municipalities in the province of Caserta and in 56 municipalities of the metropolitan area of Naples, noting the presence of irrigation hoses, mulch sheets, and greenhouse covers. These materials, essential for agricultural production, are temporarily stored once their useful life is over, awaiting collection and disposal according to regulatory procedures.
"This waste is not abandoned by farmers, but set aside for disposal," Coldiretti clarifies, emphasizing how this intermediate stage exposes the materials to the risk of illicit use or misinterpretation that fuels alarm and environmental degradation. Ongoing inspections, conducted in the areas identified by the commissioner, are used to estimate the quantity and weight of the waste present, distinguishing it by product type and presumed hazardousness.
The initiative is part of a broader program coordinated by the Sole Commissioner for the adaptation of illegal landfills and involves, among others, the Prefectures of Naples and Caserta, the Ministry of the Environment, the PolieCo Consortium, and the Regional Command of the Carabinieri Forestali, as well as Coldiretti Naples and Caserta.
The issue of agricultural waste is highlighted as crucial to preventing new spills and further pollution in an already fragile environment. Coldiretti also considers the push for the recycling of agricultural plastics to be a strategic lever for reducing the sector's environmental impact and limiting the introduction of new plastic into production cycles, focusing on the recovery and reuse of materials already in circulation.
It seems like a useful initiative, but also a bit confusing, because the communications don't clearly explain the times and who collects them. Farmers say the tarps are set aside, but they're often mixed with other waste; more clarification and coordination are needed, as well as ongoing inspections without controversy.