Naples Reeks as Garbage Dumps, Landfills Close

Mounds of smelly garbage are piling up in the streets of Naples, as a shortage of places to dump it has reached a crisis: the last landfill in Naples closed Saturday. Italian President Giorgio Napolitano is pleading with politicians and citizens to save the the country's image, the Times reports.

Construction of new dumps and incinerators has been stymied by political paralysis and residents protecting their neighborhoods.The Mafia is thriving in the furor, using its trucks and workers to haul trash to illegal dumping sites. Emergency measures have cleared the center of town, where tourists congregate, but no one is predicting a swift end to the stink. (More trash stories.)