CZ/SK verze

Rome-Amsterdam Waste Rail Transport Sparks Outrage in Switzerland

Rome-Amsterdam Waste Rail Transport Sparks Outrage in Switzerland
photo: waste-management-world.com/Rome-Amsterdam Waste Rail Transport Sparks Outrage in Switzerland
13 / 04 / 2023

The transport of waste from Rome to Amsterdam by rail has been met with a wave of criticism since its launch. Switzerland is particularly indignant, as it does not benefit from this transport and only takes away from its capacity for passenger transport.

Swiss MP Bruno Storni recently expressed his resentment against this initiative. According to him, the transportation of waste through the Rhine-Alpine Corridor is absurd because rail freight traffic through this corridor needs to be reduced, not increased. Dutch politicians also expressed their disapproval of this transport; for example, one declared that Dutch farmers had to suspend their activities because of this transport as the waste trains produced an excessive amount of nitrogen. Dutch Senator Henk Otten declared that importing 900 tons of waste per week from other countries will not reduce the production of CO2 and nitrogen.

The transport of waste from Rome to Amsterdam started at the beginning of April and is implemented by the Italian company AMA, which operates waste collection in Rome, and the Amsterdam Waste Energy Company (AEB). Italy pays AEB a total of 180,000 euros per week for the transportation of waste and pays 200 euros for one tonne of transported waste.

Rome has been struggling with waste disposal for decades. The capital of Italy will only be able to solve its waste incineration problem when the Roman incinerator can burn 600,000 tons of waste per year.

Tags