Italy threatens drastic penalties for littering from cars

In extreme cases, it can cost up to 18,000 euros (around 16,930 francs) if drivers simply throw a bag of garbage out of the window of their vehicle onto the road or roadside, according to a regulation that comes into force on Saturday. It does not matter whether the car is stationary or moving. For handkerchiefs, plastic bottles or cigarette butts, the fine can be as high as 1,188 euros.

Drivers who litter in a nature reserve or other protected area may also have their driving license revoked and face a prison sentence. In addition, offenders no longer have to be caught in the act and stopped by the police, as was previously the case. In future, it will be sufficient for the crime to be recorded by one of the many surveillance cameras available in Italy.

Litter on many streets

In Italy, garbage is often simply dumped on the street - both in cities and on country roads and highways. On some roads, even in areas with a lot of tourism, it looks like a landfill site. The new regulation also applies to foreign tourists.