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Enhancing preparedness for managing debris from earthquakes: lessons from Italy

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Abstract

Earthquakes can generate large volumes of debris which may threaten public health, hinder reconstruction and impact the environment. The present paper aims at investigating how the current Italian regulatory framework may be further developed to improve communities’ ability to manage debris from earthquakes. Since the lack of preparedness for managing disaster debris is not confined to Italy, the paper may be valuable to stimulate a broader debate on this issue. The research work is based on selected case studies (L’Aquila 2009, Regione Emilia-Romagna—Circolare n. 2 of 12.06.2012 (2012) “Provisions for the resumption of production activities according to art. 3 paragraphs 7 to 10 of Legislative Decree June 6, 2012 n. 74” and Central Italy 2016–2017 earthquakes) and the review of the relevant literature and legislation. It shows that preparedness could have contributed to reducing or avoiding significant delays and problems in managing debris after the above-mentioned Italian earthquakes. It further suggests that disaster debris management in Italy could benefit from the existence of a comprehensive ex ante regulatory framework including a range of different tools (laws, guidelines, contingency plans and the like) and from the proper implementation of laws that are already part of our legal order. The above findings may directly feed into decision-making addressing disaster debris management. Overall, the paper focuses on a research topic which is becoming increasingly relevant, given the rise in the number and severity of natural disasters, but which is still not widely explored.

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Notes

  1. https://opendataricostruzione.gssi.it/home.

  2. https://www.maceriesisma2009.it/.

  3. https://usra.it/.

  4. https://www.usrc.it/.

  5. https://datacatalog.regione.emilia-romagna.it/catalogCTA/dataset/macerie-derivanti-dal-sisma-del-2012-1514911686773-924.

  6. See https://www.protezionecivile.gov.it/attivita-rischi/rischio-sismico/emergenze/centro-italia-2016/gestione-macerie; https://sisma2016osservatoriomarche.it/ and https://osservatoriosisma.it/gestione-macerie/.

  7. The derogation from Art. 190 (loading/unloading register) of LgsD 152/2006 is not provided, e.g., by the ad hoc regime of the L’Aquila 2009 earthquake.

  8. For instance, in the case of the Central Italy earthquake, different requirements for TSS had been established by regional DWMPs.

  9. With regard to our case studies, it has to be noted that, at the national level, Marche has, after Piedmont, the largest asbestos-contaminated surface and the highest number of contaminated sites in risk classes I–V (Legambiente 2018b).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gran Sasso Science Institute, Via Iacobucci 2, 67100, L’Aquila, Italy

    Marco Modica

  2. CNR-IRCrES, Via Corti 12, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Susanna Paleari & Andrea Rampa

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  1. Marco Modica
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  2. Susanna Paleari
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  3. Andrea Rampa
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Correspondence to Marco Modica.

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Modica, M., Paleari, S. & Rampa, A. Enhancing preparedness for managing debris from earthquakes: lessons from Italy. Nat Hazards 105, 1395–1412 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04359-0

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