L'Aquila: restart with less waste

by Eleonora Anello

Certainly within the Italian “European Week for Waste Reduction” there is an initiative that deserves a special attention: the project conducted by ASM Spa of L'Aquila, city sadly known for the tragic earthquake of 6 April 2009.

«We have herad at last time of the European initiative» - says Sonia Fiucci, External Relations Manager of ASM Spa, the public company that deals with waste in the capital of Abruzzo - «but we wanted to demonstrate to the citizenry that does not revolve around the earthquake emergency including the collection of waste. Of course we still live a situation that can not be considered normal, seeing that about 70 thousand inhabitants, the 80% is still homeless, whereas those who have chosen to stay on the coast, some in tents and who still is starting to get into the "government houses”».

Tell us how it went soon after the earthquake?
«Just from the day after, we placed the bins of differentiation in the camps. Thanks to the cooperation of the Protezione Civile (Civil Defense) differed even within the camps, as the canteen for example. In all these operations we have been supported by waste management companies of Rome, of the Marche and many other regions. Offices have worked in tents and we did everything we could do and as quickly as possible. We set then 5 points for collecting bulky waste such as appliances, furniture and much more ... In short, everything we had no longer exists and should be discarded. Even those who have a house no longer have anything of what it contained. Everything is destroyed. So, to help those who could not transport their waste to the centres, we organized the “green days”, a collection "mobile" to facilitate the citizens and to prevent the formation of illegal landfills. We're still working on the differentiation of rubble. Part of our employees divides the iron from the other materials and especially from personal effects that we deliver to the security forces».

How has it changed communication in the environmental field after that tragic event?
«Well we found a significant evolution. During the weeks immediately following the earthquake, people needed news in real time. So, even if there were the television and the press, preferring Internet to its real-time updates. We, too, we used this instrument to our messages and not only through our official website. From the web the citizens could monitor, for example, the situation of the allocation of houses and subsidies. That's than communication there was a strong need for information, even if we did enough to achieve a “traditional” campaign with billboards, TV and radio commercials».

How does the "Week" insert in this context?
«We wanted to restart with the children. The school has always asked educational interventions in the environment and specifically in the waste reduction. So we decided to resume a conversation before started. After a educational lecture at Dante School of the city, we asked the boys to value the amount of waste they produce, partly because their influence is determinant in the family purchases. From these data processing rules that will reduce this amount. They learned the techniques, thanks to collaboration with a big supermarket, the kids will turn to educate buyers. Advice, for example, the family packs, which besides being more convenient they have less packaging. Until now the children have responded so splendidly with enthusiasm and desire to do».