Pope Leo visits area near Naples polluted by toxic waste
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV visited Acerra near Naples to meet families affected by illegal toxic waste dumping linked to a mafia-run criminal racket, highlighting the environmental and health crisis in the area known as the "Land of Fires."
- The pope expressed solidarity with victims, recalling the region's former fertility and lamenting its current state of environmental degradation and human suffering caused by pollution.
- The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italian authorities failed to protect residents from toxic pollution caused by the Camorra crime syndicate, ordering Italy to create a database on toxic waste and related health risks.
- Bishop Antonio Di Donna reported that around 150 young people have died in Acerra over three decades due to pollution and urged the pope to call for an end to ongoing toxic dumping, which continues despite official awareness.
- Families of victims appealed to the pope for help in healing the land and securing a healthier future for the next generation, with Pope Francis' planned visit in 2020 having been canceled due to the pandemic.