Answer given by Ms Creţu on behalf of the European Commission

7.2.2019

On the basis of the information transmitted by the managing authority of the Puglia Region programmes, the interventions referred to by the Honourable Member have become necessary as a result of the closure of the solid urban waste landfill site ‘Li Cicci’ and of the abandonment of the site by the previous managing body that has caused a situation of environmental degradation and required actions to protect the environment and public health.

The first project, financed with the Puglia programme European Regional Development Fund 2007-2013, concerned the environmental securing of the site as well as studies of the soil and water characteristics, with activities of waterproofing of the piles, collecting rainwater, preparing wells for the extraction of leachate and collecting biogas. The project funded under the Puglia Cohesion Action Plan 2007-2013 is a complement to the previous one and has been financed only with national resources.

The total cost of these two projects is EUR 1.2 million. The overall intervention is physically concluded and was tested in December 2015. With regard to the 2014-2020 period, the Region has granted the Municipality of Manduria, which has now become the owner of the landfill, a financial support of EUR 570 000 with Act No 326 of 12.12.2018, to restore a portion of the landfill cover damaged by repeated vandalism and fire in order to avoid environmental contaminations. The intervention has just started.

The Commission is not aware of any non-compliance issue on the concerned landfill. In accordance with Directive 1999/31/EC[1] on the landfilling of waste, the competent authorities are responsible to ensure that the landfill site complies with the construction, operational and after-care legal requirements set out therein.

• [1] Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, OJ L 182, 16.7.1999, p. 1‐19.