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PhrasesRecycling and WasteQualcuno ha abbandonato dei mobili sul marciapiede.
B1

Qualcuno ha abbandonato dei mobili sul marciapiede.

Someone has dumped furniture on the pavement.

Pronunciation

mar-CHA-pie-de — four syllables; stress the second. 'ci' makes a 'ch' sound.

When to use it

Use this to report illegal dumping of bulky items on public streets. It is one of the most common waste-related complaints in Italian cities, particularly in densely populated urban areas.

What it means

Abandoning bulky items on public streets (abbandono di rifiuti ingombranti su suolo pubblico) is an administrative offence in Italy. It can be reported to the municipality, the local vigili urbani (municipal police), or via the waste management company's app. Repeat offending can lead to higher fines.

Variations

Posso segnalarlo al comune tramite l'app?

Can I report it to the municipality via the app?

Most Italian cities now have citizen reporting apps for this type of issue.

Hanno abbandonato un materasso sotto il mio palazzo.

Someone dumped a mattress under my building.

Specific example; mattress dumping is one of the most common complaints.

Il comune deve rimuoverlo entro 48 ore.

The municipality must remove it within 48 hours.

Legal requirement in most comuni once the report is filed.

Mini Dialogue

— Guarda, c'è un divano abbandonato all'angolo. — Di nuovo! È il terzo questo mese. — Possiamo fare qualcosa? — Sì, segnalalo sull'app del comune. Di solito lo rimuovono entro due giorni.

— Look, there's an abandoned sofa on the corner. — Again! That's the third one this month. — Can we do something? — Yes, report it on the municipality app. They usually remove it within two days.

Cultural Note

Rome's AMA company operates a dedicated hotline and app for reporting illegal dumping. In 2022, the city launched Operation Decoro Urbano (Urban Decorum) with drones and cameras to catch and fine illegal dumpers. Despite these efforts, Rome removes an estimated 100,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste per year, at a cost of over €25 million.