Trash Crisis Halts Italian Towns

Rome — In January, the Campania region's two largest landfills closed, and landfill siting protests — combined with bureaucratic problems — have stalled searches for new disposal capacity. This week, three southern Italian towns have ordered schools and stores to shut down because of health threats from uncollected garbage. The region's president, Antonio Bassolino, has warned that local mafia may try to convince desperate municipalities to use mob-owned landfills.