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<\/a><\/p>\nThis is Italy, and being a country famous for its beautiful landscape, its citizens must be encouraged to behave in such a way that the countryside remains attractive and healthful. \u00a0But times are hard, and revenue and personal incomes are in a tug-of-war with each other where everyone will lose. \u00a0\u00a0So what better way to aid the floundering economy \u00a0then by creating more rules to follow, more reasons to evade them, and more impetus to misbehave out of sheer frustration? \u00a0 And maybe create some revenue in the process?<\/p>\n
We are in the process of restructuring a small, centuries-old house in the old part of town. \u00a0The view from the roof is marred by a large square cistern, made out of that wonderful material from the sixties and seventies, asbestos. \u00a0As it sits, it is not a threat to anyone, but it must be removed to make way for the renovations. \u00a0The mind of a conscientious citizen moves forward in an orderly fashion, and imagines that the object, not too heavy for a few men to lift, might be removed with the help of friends and carried to a corner of someone’s yard where it might be yet of use.<\/p>\n
Ah, but there are new rules. \u00a0Enter the\u00a0Azienda Sanitaria Locale, or ASL.* \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0They will have to be contacted about the removal. \u00a0An appointment will have to be made with a transport company in the area, and this will cost money. \u00a0It will require time, as they are not immediately available, of course. \u00a0There will be the need of a specialized truck with a crane to lift the cistern off of the terrazzo, and before this there will be another call to make, with a firm which is responsible for shrink-wrapping the offending item before handling it. \u00a0But before they can be called, we must locate an authorized area, call it a dump, where such items may be “disposed of.” \u00a0One hopes that these areas are safe and correctly-utilized, but we can’t know for sure. \u00a0At the end point of its removal, whenever that comes, \u00a0it is out of our hands. \u00a0Our ASL will protect us.<\/p>\n All of this for the bargain price of roughly 1800 Euros, or about 2300 dollars.<\/p>\n The end result of such regulations is understandable: \u00a0no one uses the official procedure for disposing of dangerous items, and the woods and gulleys of the surrounding areas slowly fill up with toxic and unsightly rubble. \u00a0Near our house there are two piles of broken asbestos roofing, and I try to avoid them on my walks. \u00a0What else can I do, call the ASL and pay for endless toxic removals? \u00a0It could get quite expensive.<\/p>\n Yes, and what to do with tires that are worn out? \u00a0The government requires stiff fees for disposing of used tires, and it is practically impossible for a customer who buys new ones to get the\u00a0gommista*<\/em>\u00a0to dispose of the old ones, utilizing the proper channels. \u00a0It is much too expensive and time-consuming. \u00a0The result is that \u00a0every rest area is festooned with tires, every low spot along the road has its compliment of rubber, picnic spots are delineated by piles of black doughnuts. \u00a0It is almost as if it were a requirement for them to be there. \u00a0 Ditto for car batteries. \u00a0When these piles are set on fire in order to “reduce” their mass, everyone enjoys the effects. \u00a0For years.<\/p>\n Do you need to repair the roof of a shed? \u00a0The old tar paper will need to come off, but what to do with it? \u00a0It would be incorrect and dangerous for the public health to dispose of it in a dumpster somewhere, so the government agency which deals with such things will have to be called. \u00a0The cost of getting rid of eighty pounds of old roofing material? \u00a0Only 500 Euros. \u00a0Needless to say, the \u00a0roofing material ends up in the dumpster anyway, deposited in small quantities around town. \u00a0True story.<\/p>\n Another true story: \u00a0 An old friend ran a gas station with a partner, which \u00a0naturally \u00a0needed to dispose of its collected used motor oil. \u00a0There is a government agency for that! \u00a0 The owner of a \u00a0station is responsible for compiling a scrupulous and almost indecipherable notebook accounting for every drop of oil, its date of arrival and source, and so forth. \u00a0A moment of distraction and their notebook contained an incorrect entry, discovered when the authorities from this specialized government agency arrived to enforce their rules. \u00a0 The fine for the incorrect entry? \u00a0 Sixty million lire for each partner, or a total fine for the business of about 200 thousand dollars. \u00a0Paid with no possibility of recourse.<\/p>\n And again, a friend’s experience only a couple of years ago: \u00a0While doing some \u00a0remodeling at home, he parked his almost-full wheelbarrow full of old bits of plaster and cement by the driveway while he went in for some water. \u00a0In that brief period of time the NAS officers (nucleo antisofisticazione, or a kind of \u00a0“agency for the conservation of \u00a0purity”<\/em>) drove past and spotted the wheelbarrow. \u00a0Not allowed! \u00a0 This was not deemed to be a permissible method of storing or moving such materials, and a fine was applied. \u00a0 Sixty-five thousand Euros. \u00a0Almost 100 thousand dollars, give or take a few thousand. \u00a0I believe the case is still making its way through the permanently-constipated court system after fifteen years.<\/p>\n So we will be careful as our remodel proceeds, not to leave any wheelbarrows parked awkwardly around the site. \u00a0And we will continue to live with the fruits of way too much government regulation, unfortunately, in the form of \u00a0 poisonous fumes and toxic waste, strewn about in our beautiful landscape. \u00a0 As people, in their desire to avoid stringent regulations and fees, dump anywhere but in the right place.<\/p>\n I believe our offending asbestos container will magically make its way to my garden after all.<\/p>\n *Local Health Authority<\/p>\n *tire repairer<\/p>\n