"The Camorra mafia has been dumping and burning toxic waste for decades in the area between Naples and the province of Caserta."

"Ten million tonnes have been buried there in the last 22 years, according to environmentalist group Legambiente, and the World Health Organisation says that higher congenital abnormalities and deaths from cancer are 'positively correlated' to waste exposure in the area.

'The environmental disaster... has turned to a real humanitarian tragedy,' the Archbishop of Naples and bishops of local dioceses wrote in an open letter to President Giorgio Napolitano on Saturday.

'Too many are paying the price for the arrogance, abuse, incivility, greed and stupidity of criminals,' the letter said, adding land had been poisoned causing 'tragic and irreparable damage'."

Naomi O'Leary reports for Reuters January 6, 2014. [2]