Bagnoli reclamation, landfill, and the 2027 America's Cup: why are there protests?

Bagnoli returns to the centre of public debate as theAmerica's Cup 2027 and protests against the work in progress are multiplying.
On Tuesdays February 24, 2026, 16.30, a meeting promoted by the is plannedItalian Institute for Philosophical Studies which rekindles the debate on an issue that divides the city: the choice not to proceed with the complete removal of the former Italsider landfill, opting for a securing with coverage to meet event deadlines.

Starting from the demonstrations of 7 FebruaryIn recent days, complaints filed with the Public Prosecutor's Office and accusations of possible environmental risks have brought attention back to an already fragile area. At the center remain environment, reclamation, timing, administrative decisions and the future of the coastA choice that weighs heavily today and will impact the final layout of the coast.

The Bagnoli landfill: what the plan envisaged and what changes today

To understand today's issue we need to take a step back. Bagnoli landfill It is a portion of the sea artificially filled during the activity of the former Italsider. It is an area built with landfill materials and industrial waste, later found to be contaminated by substances such as PAHs and PCBs.

In the 1980s the State had established a precise path. 1980 plan, linked to law 219/81, and the subsequent law 582/1996 provided a clear objective: completely remove the landfill, restore the coast to its natural form, give back to the citizens a public beach of about 1,5 kilometers and make a large urban park on the abandoned industrial area. The idea was simple: eliminate the artificial fill and reconstruct the original sea line.

With the company decree 60 / 2024 The setting changes. Total removal is no longer mandatory. Instead, it opens up to securing, that is, the covering and sealing of the landfill without eliminating it completely. A partial removal estimated between 10 and 20%, while the rest would be covered with a waterproof system, the so-called capping, above which would be built platforms for approximately 19,5 hectares intended for the technical bases of the 2027 America's Cup.

In essence, we move from a project of demolition and natural restoration to a solution of containment and temporary use of the area. And it is precisely on this passage that the public debate is focusing today.

America's Cup 2027 and the reasons for the acceleration of the works

The choice not to completely remove the landfill it is linked exclusively to the timing of the 2027 America's CupTo host the technical bases of the teams and the operational structures of the event, it was decided to proceed with a rapid safety, through the waterproof covering of the area and the construction of platforms on which to install structures considered temporary.

Complete removal of the landfill would require longer times, complex procedures, and a radical intervention on the coastline. The current solution instead aims to Reduce the time, making the area usable by the deadline set for 2027. The complete remediation would be postponed to a later stage after the event.

At the same time, the following are also progressing: works at sea, Including:

• realization of cliffs
• interventions of dredging
• operational changes through variations to the PRARU

These interventions were deemed a priority to ensure the competition could take place, but they have fueled protests from residents and committees, who are demanding clarification on environmental impacts and authorization procedures.

The population of Bagnoli, rightly, wants the problem to be resolved reclaiming the area rather than "putting a patch on it” just to allow competition. A “solution” which fuels the electoral propaganda of the “resolution of the Bagnoli problem" but which, in fact, is not resolved in this way.

What happened and the reasons for the protests on February 7, 2026

The tension exploded on February 7, 2026, when hundreds of residents and activists took to the streets of Bagnoli to protest against the works connected to theAmerica's Cup 2027The mobilization was promoted by committees and civic groups that have been denouncing environmental risks and a lack of information for months.

At the heart of the accusations is the fear that the interventions on the landfill could cause the release of polluting substances such as PAHs and PCBs, present in the filling materials of the former industrial area. The protesters speak of toxic dust, of intense truck traffic on roads already affected by bradyseism and management deemed to be less than transparent.

During the day the following events were recorded:

• road blocks
• garrisons in the construction site area
• a demonstration attended by residents and associations

Active committees include:

• No America's Cup
• Free Sea
• other civic groups in the Bagnoli neighborhood

The protests have brought environmental safety and public health back to the forefront of the debate, as work continues to meet the 2027 deadline.

The intervention of the Naples prosecutor's office

The matter was also addressed by the Prosecutor's Office of Naples, which opened a file after several complaints were filed in relation to the work underway in Bagnoli. Investigators are focusing their attention on possible hypothesis of environmental damage and the correctness of the administrative procedures adopted for interventions on landfill and marine works.

At this time, no individuals are under investigation. The judiciary's work is aimed at verifying the documentation, permits, and operating procedures of the construction sites. This step comes amidst a context already marked by public protests, requests for clarification, and institutional debate.

Mayor Manfredi assures that the works are temporary, but residents' fears persist.

From the institutional front a clear line is reiterated: the works carried out for the America's Cup 2027 are defined temporary and reversibleThe mayor of Naples and extraordinary commissioner for Bagnoli, Gaetano Manfredi, has indicated as its objective the future swimmability of the area and the continuation of the clean-up after the sporting event.

The estimated economic framework for the overall interventions at sea and on land is indicated between 1,2 and 1,7 billion euros, with the beach and park remaining formally included in the regeneration programs.

But the climate on the ground is different. The committees and some residents are questioning the real reversibility of works and they fear that the solution of the securing with capping can be transformed into a stable structure (something we've seen too many times in the pastThe critical point concerns the previous delays in the remediation and the change in the regulatory framework that eliminated the obligation to completely remove the landfill.

The fear expressed at meetings and demonstrations is that the "temporary" nature remains on paper, while the configuration implemented for 2027 will effectively become definitive. This is the focus of the current debate between:

• commissioner structure and municipal administration
• citizens' committees and environmental associations
• technicians, urban planners and experts involved in the debate

The public meeting of February 24, 2026

The appointment is set for Tuesday 24 February 2026, 16.30 hours, in the headquarters of Palazzo Serra di Cassano, in Naples. The initiative is promoted by theItalian Institute for Philosophical Studies under the Assizes of the city of Naples and of Southern Italy.

The comparison will be dedicated to the Bagnoli case, with particular attention to economic, landscape, environmental, urban planning and administrative issues concerning the area. The discussion comes at a delicate stage, marked by the acceleration of the works connected to theAmerica's Cup 2027 and from the tensions that have emerged in recent weeks.

Who introduces, moderates and intervenes in the assembly

The meeting of February 24th opens with the introduction entrusted to Julius Pane and will be moderated by Carlo IannelloThe comparison is constructed as a public moment of analysis on the Bagnoli case, with particular attention to landfill, recent regulatory decisions and work related to the 2027 America's Cup.

Speakers include:

• Emiliano Brancaccio
• Lucia Tozzi
• Benedict De Vivo
• Philip De Rossi
• Richard Rosa
• Fulvio Bonavitacola
• Anthony Bassolino

The mayor of Naples and the commissioner for Bagnoli were also invited, Gaetano Manfredi, whose possible participation would represent a direct step in the dialogue between institutions and citizens.

The meeting comes at a time marked by protests, investigations and procedural accelerations, focusing on the future of the landfill and the definitive layout of the Bagnoli coast.