Authorities in Sicily have uncovered an unusual method of evading waste collection: using a dog to dispose of garbage. Footage released by the Catania municipality shows a dog carrying a large trash bag in its mouth and carefully placing it by a roadside at an illegal dumping site.
“Inventiveness… can never be an alibi for incivility,” the municipality commented on Facebook, emphasising that exploiting an animal to break the law is both “cunning and doubly unfair.” The post explained that the local environmental police captured the act on surveillance cameras, and the person responsible has been identified and fined.
The episode reflects a growing problem in Italy, particularly in southern regions and islands where garbage collection can be as low as 57%, leaving bins and dumpsters overflowing for days. Rome leads the country in waste tax evasion, followed by Naples, while northern regions report much higher compliance, according to the Guardia di Finanza.
Illegal dumping, including burning and burying of waste, amounts to nearly 10,000 offences annually, said the Legambiente. Municipalities are increasingly using surveillance cameras to catch offenders. Fines for illegal disposal range from €1,500 ($1,770) to €18,000 ($21,200), and in some cases can result in criminal charges. Authorities warn that such practices are often linked to organised crime, the so-called “eco-mafia,” further complicating enforcement efforts.
