Italy faces legal action over the waste crisis that has left piles of garbage rotting on the streets around the southern city of Naples.
The European Commission said Tuesday that the uncollected trash -- which started piling up shortly after Christmas -- posed a threat to the environment and human health and left Italy in breach of European Union rules on waste disposal.
The commission is bringing the case before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, which could compel Italy to take steps to conform to the rules.
Though Naples and the surrounding region of Campania have had waste problems for nearly 15 years, the latest problems flared December 31, when the Italian government closed one of the area's two working dumps at the request of nearby residents.
That led to trash piling up on city streets and in alleys below residential apartment blocks. Some schools were closed to protect children from noxious fumes permeating the air. 
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All About Naples • Italy • European Union