Hazardous Waste Management and Geological Aspects in Campania (A Case Study)

The environmental situation is very complex, in Italy, and in particular, in some areas (Naples and Caserta provinces) of the Campania region that have experienced numerous problems correlated with hazardous waste management. In particular, an area of Naples province has been referred to "Land of Fire" (LoF) (or Terra dei fuochi-TdF) for the open burning of uncollected trash, including chemical and other potentially hazardous waste. Different academic publications and the national press have reported this dramatic situation. Findings from several articles suggest that the toxic wastes dumping is destroying this land and in addition, it is seriously damaging the health of the local population. Moreover, the high anthropization of these provinces in association with the simultaneous presence and interaction of extremely active volcanic, tectonic and morpho-dynamic phenomena increases the environmental risk in this territory. In this scenario, the Ministry of Italian Health commissioned epidemiological and geological studies to evaluate both contaminations of soil due to illegal dumps and the health risks on the population in Campania. This chapter aims to examine the epidemiological data considering a geochemical/environmental perspective to better understand the correlation between the incidence of different diseases (such as some cancers type) and the distribution patterns of contaminants.

Keywords: Anthropic pollution, Geology of Campania, Geological risks, Waste.