rome
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Some people go to extreme lengths to avoid the cost of regular garbage collection. And sometimes we turn to man’s best friend for help.
Authorities on the Italian island of Sicily have released footage of dogs carrying garbage to an illegal dump near Catania.
In a video released by the city of Catania on Thursday, the wily dog can be seen carrying around large garbage bags with its teeth and discreetly leaving them on the side of the road.
“Ingenuity… is never an alibi for incivility,” local authorities said in a Facebook post.
“The Environment Department of the Catania City Police has released two videos recorded by surveillance cameras that show dogs dumping bags of garbage onto the street,” the post reads.
“This act is insidious and doubly unfair, because not only is it littering the streets, but it is also unknowingly taking advantage of our four-legged friends to circumvent the rules. It is everyone’s duty to respect the civility of the city and the environment.”
The man was identified and fined, according to the post.
This episode highlights what is going wrong across Italy.
The situation is particularly bad in southern states and islands, where garbage collection rates can reach 57%, leaving garbage sitting in trash cans and bins for days on end.
Officials say the highest garbage evasion tax rate is in the capital Rome, followed by Naples.
According to the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police), collection rates are much lower in the northern regions of Italy;
According to the Legambiente environmental protection group, nearly 10,000 waste-related crimes, including illegal dumping, incineration and burying, are recorded every year, prompting many municipalities to install surveillance cameras to monitor illegal activities.
Fines for illegal dumping range from 1,500 euros ($1,770) to 18,000 euros ($21,200) and may result in criminal charges. Illegal dumping is often associated with organized crime syndicates known by law enforcement as the eco-mafia.
