This is a story of a man, a management group and a dump -- one of the 38 in Valdera since in the eighties – that opened a debate between the people of that area, who wanted it removed, and the Tuscany region who wanted the facility to remain open.   The man?   It was Renzo Macelloni, major who took the lead in this incendiary discussion, bringing it to a creative, pro-active and highly successful solution.

The problem:   Funds to maintain the standards of the trash center were not available, and keeping the facility open required neutralizing its environmental impact and hiring a manager.

Macelloni presented two possibilities: 1.) Seek funds to keep the facility open; and 2.) Commandeer the citizens of Peccioli to explore options as a community project.   With the   approval of the citizens, Belvedere, Inc. was created to seek an agreeable solution to manage two million tons of rubbish per year.

The result:   Belvedere Inc. figured out how to turn the biogas gas resulting from incinerated rubbish into an environmentally-friendly Enel power station, with the water used to cool the system used to warm the Legioli houses. Belvedere, Inc. received certification from ISO 14001 and Emas for having met the environmental standards set by these agencies.

Belvedere has grown every year since, providing jobs for more than 100 employees and reporting a balance of 10 millions euros last year.   In 2003 the company denationalized, offering shares to Peccioli citizens; more then 700 families bought into the company.   For the thousands of people in the community, there is now a financial resource available to open new businesses, make improvements and restore historical areas.

Success continues.   Belvedere revenues are being used to initiate and take advantage of local resources through their new, wholly controlled business venture, Agripeccioli, which has invested in new ventures like the production of wines, tourism and culture.   New projects like the Russian Icon Museum , an icon restoration center and the Galileo Astronomic Observatory along with the building of a modern assistance center for the elderly are becoming a long-awaited reality. With the newfound profits also comes the ability to take this tiny hamlet into the 21 st century with technology innovations that have produced the Comunelaboratorio , the Casa -- where new products for domestic automation are tested, and the creation of the Research and Innovation Village

Perhaps the foremost result of turning trash into a treasure of profit is the revitalization of a town and the rejuvenation of the spirit of the people – and all because one man and one management district were determined to find a pro-active solution to what seemed an unworkable problem.