A Tour of Contrasts in Sicily – The Litter Scourge
Guidebooks often describe Sicily as a “land of contrasts.” I wonder if this is what they mean:
Beautiful lovingly cultivated land – olive groves, carob trees, fields of hay, pastures of wildflowers.
Across the street there is a huge pile of rubbish.
At first glance I see an old refrigerator, several tires and mattresses, a broken toilet. The most alarming item is an old water tank made of Eternit, which contains asbestos – not dangerous, mind you, unless it is broken or cracked. This tank is shattered.
Not far from here, heading towards the coast on a birdwatching trip, I stop to ask a local for directions. He explains where to turn left by the huge pile of litter. The way he describes it, the pile is a permanent fixture. I arrive at the marshes where Europe’s largest variety of migratory birds come to rest, among thousands of used tires and unspeakable amounts of rubbish. Revolted by the filth, I turn the car around and escape.
On the way back home along my favorite back road, the tiny farms are neatly framed in 
hand-chiseled stone walls. At the corner of two walls, someone has dumped a pile of trash, and in the midst of it lies a dead pig.
During the time I have lived in Sicily, I have seen the litter phenomenon worsen. Before, it was limited to certain areas of Sicily- the poorest and least cared for- but now the problem is everywhere, including our formerly pristine province of Ragusa, known among Sicilians as “the island on the island.” Sicily is a unique place with astonishing archeological treasures, splendid countryside, stunning baroque towns, wonderful traditional foods, and yet it is being continually violated and abused. This makes me furious.
Citizens of Sicily, mayors of the towns of Sicily, heads of the provinces, governor of the region, all the tourist offices, this is what I think: There is no excuse for this. But maybe I am wrong, so please, Sicilians explain this trash to me.
Explain it to Unesco, the organization that has placed many Sicilian sites on their World Heritage List. Explain it to the tourist, who comes to enjoy your food grown in this very countryside scarred with rubbish and toxic waste. When a visitor asks me why there is so much litter, should I respond: Sicilians are uncivilized pigs? Do you have a better explanation?
I write this post because I love Sicily, and I want to welcome visitors to this island that is my home. But there are times I also hate Sicily, when its apathy and ignorance are too much to bear in silence.
11 Responses to “ A Tour of Contrasts in Sicily – The Litter Scourge ”
Unfortunately , as my uncle said to me there are ignorant pigs who care little about anything other than their own back yards. He recycles anything no longer in use in his home goes to the farm -a sink becomes a trough to wash fruit , the old bed mattres springs have jasmine and beans growing up them, a kinda live wall or they were thrown under a group of olive trees a couple of blankets instant bed.
I also had commented on this while looking out at the belverdere , beautiful vista look down the cliff a mattress, and old stove.It was horrifying to me, why does the city not retrieve it there are garbage men, he said they don’t want to do it, I said hey it’s what they get paid for …No………I guess not.
@Simon- I am hoping to get some local attention on this matter and eventually work with a school program. It’s a long uphill battle but it must be done – I am personally in favor of heavy fines, too!
good job anita… as an expat i have been exposed to the “trashy” side as well. We all want to make italy seem like a dream but someone’s got to tell the truth sometimes. Beautiful blog!
Thanks Anna- it hurts to write negative stuff but sometimes I think it is necessary. And glad you like my blog- please come back and visit again!
You words ring so true as an expat living in the Catania area. This place is dirty. The recent noticeable improvement when the government ministers come for a visit was infuriating – why should the city only be clean for important officials!!?!?!? This also means the commune is capable of running a cleaner city with some effort, don’t you think?
@Karen- I agree, I hate it when everything gets cleaned up for some special event, i.e. some polticians coming to town-But in the end the local citizens are either apatheitc or too frustrasted to think that they can make a change.
Hi Anita, I’m a sicilian and I ‘m from Catania. I hope my english will be not very bad ^_^
You have a lot of raison but I assure the most our people wants to change the actual situation. I recognize the bad situation and, after many effors, finally, we are starting with the recycle, the Commune is now distributing eco bags. It’s a small beginning, a small step but now a sicilian knows the reason why we must have clean our town.
Our roadsrecently are been closed, most of them were the major and important but many shops now are closing for this raison. The mayor, and politicians in Italy, are “good” for only to spend and squander our money. Let’s strike, we rebel…nothing…many italian families, sicilian families are very poor and they arrive at the end of the month with no money to support their children. The mayor does nothing, and having no ecological places, many of them do not think twice to throw the rubbish in the sides of roads or in campaign, and this really hurts me…
I hope this Italy, this Sicily will change, because I love nature, food, sea, my Etna … my country and I will try in every way to make it clear.
God bless you ^_^
Annalisa
Hello Annalisa – Thanks for your reply and your English is excellent. It’s great that Catania is slowly starting to recycle- that is certainly an important step. A clean well-kept city is an invitation for tourists to linger (as well as being an everyday pleasure for the inhabitants) and creates jobs and well-being for the community . I understand that corrupt or incompetent politicians are at the heart of many of Sicily’s problems, but average Sicilians have got to stop throwing up their hands in despair and work to change their world. It is up to the citizens to recogize and find good leaders, and vote them into office. I know Sicily has many problems, which make me sad or often furious, as it is a land that I dearly love, yet it is continually abused by those in power and its own citizens as well.
I have found this site and read with interest all the comments about the garbage situation in Sicily. I have just returned four days early from my holiday there, disgusted at the appalling lack of respect shown by a population that professes to ‘love it’s own country’ and yet – literally in many instances – proceeds to defecate on its own doorstep. Every single roadside is heaped with mess, from Etna to Taormina, from Catania to Syracusa. As things stand, I will never return & will encourage others not to visit. Why spend time and money travelling to a location where it’s own population clearly couldn’t care less, when there are so many other equally beautiful places in the world that offer a filth free experience. No, I’m sorry Sicily, but until you learn to respect yourselves and your environment you will not get another penny of my hard earned money.
Hello Phil,
I am sorry to hear that your time in Sicily was so negatively impacted by litter. There are certainly areas where it is worse than others, though I can assure you that there are many beautiful litter-free roads and clean towns as well – I know because I was with a group of visitors today who were gasping at Sicily’s beauty and the loving care of the countryside. However, litter continues to be a problem and your reaction shows that it has a negative effect on tourism and local authorities should take note! I personally believe that Sicily is worth a visit for manay many reasons, despite the litter, but I also hope that your voice gets heard by those in charge in Sicily-
October 18th, 2010 at 20:15
I read this with interest as I think the same. I have visited Sicily 3 times.My partner is Sicilian. The first occasion I visited I thought what a beautiful place but such a shame about the rubbish everywhere.Lets hope it changes.