Naples Streets Full of Burning Garbage

Anyone traveling to Naples right now should be warned – the streets are full of garbage.

While strikes are common in Italy, the garbage collectors have stopped taking away the garbage not because of a labor issue but because “they have nowhere to take it.” The Campania region has been dealing with a garbage crisis for years now, and clearly there’s no solution in sight. Residents of Naples have taken to burning the gigantic piles of garbage, which have been there since mid-May. So in addition to the awful stench throughout the city, now there’s toxic smoke as well. It’s like a sundae with a cherry on top, only different.

For more on the garbage crisis, be sure to read Shelley’s blog. And if your travel plans for the near future include Naples, bring a gas mask.