Fragility of Environmental Controls in Terni: Investigation by the Perugia Prosecutor’s Office into Illicit Traffic in Scrap-Waste
Councilor Mascia Aniello, of the Municipality of Terni, raises a series of serious concerns regarding the management of scrap-waste at the Terni Steelworks (AST), highlighting a persistent fragility in both internal and external environmental controls.
The recent investigation conducted by the Perugia Public Prosecutor’s Office has highlighted yet another illicit trafficking of waste, including plastic, oils and inert materials, illegally disposed of in the scrap heap. This does not represent an isolated event, but is part of a context of recurring irregularities that have continued for at least ten years.
Dr. Aniello notes that similar incidents have already been the subject of judicial investigations in the past, known by names such as ‘Dirty Steel’, highlighting far-reaching corrupt practices.
However, it is worrying that these investigations may only represent the tip of the iceberg, considering that many other cases of wrongdoing may have gone unpunished over time, damaging the environment and public health.
An international academic study conducted in Terni in 2018 found an increase in uranium levels in oak trees near the Viale Brin steel industry, suggesting possible contamination from industrial processes.
Likewise, despite the absence of judicial investigations, the levels of pollutants such as chromium, nickel, mercury and dioxins/PCBs detected in the area are worrying, with negative implications on public health and the environment.
The councilor underlines the fragility of the control systems, both internal and external, at the Terni steelworks, underlining the need to further strengthen these supervision mechanisms. He also calls for greater commitment from regional institutions to address these structural critical issues, in order to protect the Terni community and the surrounding environment.
In conclusion, Mascia Aniello expresses her concern for the negative impact that environmental crimes have on the reputation of Terni, whose image as the “Green Heart of Italy” is compromised by these illegal practices, with potentially devastating consequences for public health and the environment.
