ROME, July 1 (UPI) -- The Italian Parliament has given the Naples region approval to export garbage to ease a long-running crisis, officials said.
The measure passed Thursday over the opposition of the separatist Northern League, a partner in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's coalition, ANSA reported.
The bill overrides current law to let the Campania region, including Naples, send refuse to other regions, with neighboring southern regions the "priority target." The government promises a permanent solution will be laid out within a month.
The European Union has threatened Italy with sanctions for the estimated 14,000 tons of trash festering in the streets of Naples and surrounding areas.
Armed police began escorting garbage trucks last week as protesters toppled dumpsters, blocked traffic and set piles of waste afire. A 40-ton compactor was found dumped in the Bay of Naples.
In November, Berlusconi visited the city and vowed to clear the streets in three days, but incinerator breakdowns and opposition to new landfills have hampered the effort.
The Camorra crime syndicates have infiltrated waste management in Naples and dumped toxic waste in residential areas, authorities said.
