Italian towns under mafia oversight increase recycling rates
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Researchers at the University of Pisa studied 5,960 Italian municipalities and found that towns placed under special oversight after their councils dissolved due to mafia infiltration improved their waste management.
Lucio Masserini and Giulia Romano analyzed data from 2010 to 2020, focusing on the 88 towns where councils were disbanded because of suspected mafia involvement. These towns, concentrated in regions like Calabria, Sicily, Puglia, and Campania, saw increases in separate waste collection starting three years after the council’s dissolution.
Between the fifth and seventh years after oversight began, these municipalities increased their separate waste collection by 12 to 13 percent. Simultaneously, yearly waste production per person decreased by roughly 50 to 60 kilograms, and non-separated waste fell by about 30 kilograms. The study connected these improvements to administrative reorganization following the council dissolutions, reducing opportunities for criminal organizations to profit from waste management.
The research, part of a larger European Union-funded project examining waste management policies, also included interviews with experts and organizations like Libera, an anti-mafia group. The project will conclude in December 2025.
