Vittadello Group to handle elimination of toxic waste at former C&C factory. Cogevi, a Vittadello Group company, will handle the disposal of hazardous waste at the former C&C in Pernumia (Padua). Local associations proclaimed “We are finally witnessing the start of a process for the complete removal of the waste within specific timelines.”
The contractors Cogevi and Ireos believe this to be one of the nation’s largest operations of its kind, and it has even become a “case study” for future projects on this scale.
Toxic waste at former C&C.
Long-awaited disposal to begin at end of month
Fifty percent of the approximately 44 thousand tons of waste at the former factory in Pernumia is classified as hazardous and will be delivered to a site in Seville, Spain
The environmentalist associations La Vespa of Battaglia Terme, C&C SOS of Due Carrare, the Lasciateci respirare/Let us breathe People’s Committee of Monselice, and the institutions and companies involved in the removal of waste from the so-called toxic factory took part in a joint inspection of the former C&C plant in Pernumia with the objective of acquiring further detail on the state of progress in removing the remaining 44 thousand tons of waste.
Waste
Engineer Trevisan of Veneto Acque reported that the characterization of the piles of material stored inside the hangars conducted in close collaboration with ARPAV and the University of Padua has been concluded and that the waste has been classified according to current regulations as 50% non-hazardous, 50% hazardous. The latter materials will be transferred to a site near Seville, Spain. Although the paperwork for the cross-border transfer is complex and time-consuming, Eng. Trevisan presumed they would most likely be concluded by the end of August 2022, after which removal operations would begin by loading the cargo onto ships leaving Marghera for the new host country. A large number of trucks will be enlisted for loading and transport, and the associations asked that local citizens and municipal authorities be informed in due time to avoid inconvenience.
The technician also announced that the remaining non-hazardous waste would be presumably directed to a site in Montecchio, Vicenza, following the necessary controls by the host center. All removal operations were estimated for completion by the first quarter of 2023. The soil and water analyses previously conducted on the material outside the hangars failed to reveal any particular critical issues attributable to the presence of waste, and as further assurance, the technicians announced that any resources remaining after the piles of material had been removed would be used to conduct detailed follow-up analyses. Environmentalist associations saw this as the first step toward the future reclamation of the site. The contractors Cogevi and Ireos believe this to be one of the nation’s largest operations of its kind, and it has even become a “case study” for future projects on this scale. Another part of the process regards the collaboration with the University of Padua, which kindly provided the theoretical tools required for the sampling and characterizing of such large and complex stacks of material.
Environmentalist associations
The environmental associations have asserted that “after 18 years of assiduously raising awareness and mobilizing public opinion, repeatedly petitioning the authorities in charge of environmental safety at all levels and even the European Commission, a process with certain timeframes for the complete removal of the waste present can now be seen to be underway. We express satisfaction with the cooperation and transparency shown by the institutions at this stage and hope they will continue. A certain amount of bitterness remains in seeing such an expenditure of public resources to heal the consequences of criminal activities when it would have been more effective to use them for prevention and control. The question of future health consequences after 20 years of exposure to such a dangerous source of pollution also remains open.”
