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NAPLES, Italy (CNN) — Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced Wednesday that he has appointed a new “garbage czar” to combat a crisis that has left the streets of Naples awash with trash.

After a cabinet meeting in Naples, Berlusconi told reporters he had tapped Guido Bertolaso, head of the country’s Civil Protection Department — the unit responsible for dealing with national emergencies.

In his role, which becomes effective within 30 days, Bertolaso will have the authority to open new dump sites and landfills in the region to alleviate a problem that has dogged the city for years.

While central Naples is lnow argely clear of trash, the situation in the surrounding areas — especially the city’s outskirts — is dire. Tens of thousands of tons of uncollected garbage remain piled up on streets and in alleys and the odor permeates the air.

The 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 some schools were closed to protect children from the noxious fumes.

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