Turks demand Italy retrieves toxic waste

The delegation called on the Italian and Turkish Environment Ministry authorities, who will get together in Rome on Jan. 22, to solve this 17 year-old toxic waste problem. Dokmencibasi said: "It is meaningful to submit the petition just before the meeting of two country’s officials to solve this issue. However we are concerned about the recent statements of the Italian Environment Minister Altero Matteoli, that Italy is considering the disposal of the toxic waste in Turkey, instead of taking it to Italy, which is an international requirement.

The delegation also visited the Italian Embassy to present a copy of the petition to be forwarded to Italian Environment Minister Matteoli.

Around 3000 barrels of Italian toxic waste were sent to Turkey in late 80’s. Several hundred barrels washed up along the Black Sea coast of Turkey, but most of them are currently lying at the bottom of the Black Sea and continue to be washed ashore.

Although the Italian government has committed to taking back the waste and cleaning up the contaminated sites, a year later Matteoli stated their intentions may have changed. During the Barcelona Convention meeting in Nov. 2003, he admitted the Italian authorities are keen on solutions that foresee the disposal of the waste in Turkey.