Work began on unloading the first shipment of household waste from Naples, Italy, in Rotterdam port on Monday.

Over-capacity at Dutch waste-powered electricity plants led the government to licence waste disposal firm Van Gansewinkel to process some 50,000 tonnes of Italian waste, Nos television says.
In addition, energy firm Eon is negotiating a contract to dispose of 150,000 tonnes of rubbish from Naples. And earlier this month, it emerged German waste may also soon be imported to the Netherlands for disposal.
No solution
However, Delft University professor Bendiks Jan Boersma told Nos importing waste is not the right solution to Italy’s waste disposal problems.
Instead, people should be encouraged to sort their waste more carefully. ‘We should generate as little waste as possible,’ he said. ‘ Now it is becoming a lucrative business.’
Boersma also warns that the Italian waste may contain dangerous substances which will be released into the atmosphere when the rubbish is burnt. ‘Burning waste is not clean, so I have to ask why we have to do it here?’ he said.
Photo: Kees Spruijt/Novum