What we found out

Project objectives Tweet

The project aimed to ensure the conditions for the environmental sustainability of development and adequate levels of environmental services for the population and businesses. It aimed to increase the supply capacity, quality and efficiency of the waste management service, strengthening the production chains connected to it, and restore contaminated sites to sustainable development opportunities, also to protect public health.

Foreseen activities

The project is technically finished. The funds earmarked for the work have all been spent, only a very small part remains to be accounted for - some EUR 6798, or 2.27% of the total - and it all happened a month ahead of schedule. It provided for the purchase of a new supply of equipment for household and industrial waste management: composters, biobatteries, a truck, a bio-shredder and a start-up communication campaign were financed.

Project origin

Initially, the project was financed with D.D.S. (Decree Head of Structure Regional Council) no. 1058 of 24.10.08 for a total amount of €. 344,800.00, of which €. 304,800.00 for supplies and €. 40,000.00 for disposable sums. Subsequently, the Sicilian Region, when the project had already been started, decided, with D.D.G. ( Decree of the General Manager) no. 1574 of 02.12.2010, to charge the intervention to another chapter of expenditure, for the same amount, and in particular to the OP ERDF 2007/2013 on intervention line 2.4.1.1.

Beneficiaries

The parties that benefited from the outcome of the project were Dedalo Ambiente, which produced a service by giving work to workers and employees, the municipal administration because it had a waste service at its disposal, and all the citizens, which for the first time experienced the separate waste collection service with a possible positive impact on the environment.

Context

For at least 15 years, the Licata area, with the increase in consumption and use of plastic, has needed the provision of a good waste disposal service which, unfortunately, has always had weak points. Research shows that a high percentage of citizens and businesses are not in compliance with the waste tax, the so-called TARI. Therefore, over the years the service has never been fully effective, causing pollution and a lack of urban decorum, especially in the summer months, when emigrants and tourists return to the city and the number of inhabitants increases.

Progress

The project was carried out in the planned manner and on schedule, according to what was found on the OpenCoesione website. The execution of the project lasted until 2016. But it is now completed. Initially, the project was financed with D.D.S. (Decree Head of Structure Regional Council) no. 1058 of 24.10.08 for a total amount of €. 344,800.00, of which €. 304,800.00 for supplies and €. 40,000.00 for disposable sums. Subsequently, the Sicilian Region, when the project had already been started, decided, with D.D.G. (Decree of the General Manager) no. 1574 of 02.12.2010, to charge the intervention to another chapter of expenditure, for the same amount, and in particular to the OP ERDF 2007/2013 on intervention line 2.4.1.1. However, in a 2017 article it was reported that the Director General of the Department, Maurizio Pirillo, from an inspection carried out in September 2016 by the Special Office - Audit Authority of programmes co-financed by the European Commission - criticalities emerged. "From the inspection carried out," reads the decree, "it emerged that on 20 September 2016 Dedalo Ambiente was requested to provide a detailed list of private users to whom the composters had been delivered and a complete picture of the distribution of all the equipment purchased. This request did not receive a clear and definitive response.
https://www.licatanet.it/dedalo-ambiente-revocato-finanziamento-da-300mila-euro/#google_vignette

Results

The project was concluded. It was useful because it enabled the community to be equipped with containers to sort waste and to equip the city with collection vehicles. It contributed to a good practice already active in several European countries. In the immediate future, it proved to be effective but did not prove sustainable as the practice of waste sorting and composting was discontinued in the following years. Proof of the lack of sustainability can be found in various articles on the web showing how the city of Licata has constantly had problems with waste collection and disposal.
https://agrigento.gds.it/articoli/archivio/2012/09/28/licata-revocata-l-ordinanza-sui-rifiuti-si-torna-a-scuola-213353-09edf2a5-a63c-4191-9f3f-6a9eb2a1de23/
https://www.agrigentonotizie.it/zone/licata/rifiuti-comune-esce-da-dedalo-ambiente-7-ottobre-2016.html
https://agrigento.gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2015/01/29/operatori-ecologici-senza-paga-si-ferma-la-raccolta-in-sette-paesi-agrigentini-8c293478-f907-4110-a03d-13440054490c/
https://agrigento.gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2018/03/22/emergenza-rifiuti-a-licata-sit-in-di-protesta-davanti-al-municipio-7b193a96-735e-4ce7-a98b-db4c2bcefb06/

Risks

As already mentioned, the project came to a halt shortly after its implementation. Apparently, many users had not collected their collection baskets, probably because they were tax evaders. In 2019, there was a fire that broke out in the former municipal slaughterhouse in Licata, where the baskets were waiting to be distributed - for separate collection - to citizens. The incident was investigated by the magistracy of Agrigento. This burning of plastic has certainly had a serious impact on the environment.
https://www.agrigentonotizie.it/cronaca/licata-incendio-mastelli-ex-mattatoio-pompiere-ferito.html

Investigation method

How was the information collected?

• Web research
• Interview with political leaders

As we were unable to contact the head of Dedalo Pietro Lucchese directly, we found information on the statements on the Monithon website that he had made to our school's team that had monitored the same project in 2020. We did, however, interview the mayor of Licata, Angelo Balsamo, with whom we discussed the topics related to rubbish and in particular the benefits of composting.

Main questions

Questions to the current Mayor of Licata Angelo Balsamo.
1-How does composting contribute to the sustainable management of the municipal budget?
2-What steps are required to start a composting programme in Licata?

Main answers

1- At the moment it does not contribute at all, although Composting is a useful technique, excellebt for turning organic waste into compost usable for the fertilization.
2-At thw moment we have an external management of the waste, but one of our goals is to go into direct management for the urban solid waste. But the main goal of our administration is to obtain all taxes that have been evaded in recent years, so that these funds can guarantee an effective and lasting service.