Anti-smell “noses” in action from 1 January

If the smell is perceptible, it is given one star; in the case of a strong smell, two stars; if it is very strong, three stars, but in this latter case, if there are also breathing or health problems, the regional civil defence department, and the local police in Gavirate should be contacted using the Freephone number.

All of this (as well as the detection times and notes in which to specify the wind and weather conditions) will be written down by the twenty, or so, volunteers (see photo) in two towns (Gavirate and Bardello) to combat the problem of smells .

This is what was discussed in the operations meeting this morning in Gavirate Town Hall, where the guidelines were assessed for this empirical approach to a problem felt by many of the more than 500 people who signed the petition to put a stop to a malaise suffered for years by the residents of the area near Viale Ticino, in Gavirate, and in the adjacent streets in Bardello.

From 1 January, the job of the “noses” (this is what we have called them, although they might prefer to be referred to differently, maybe receivers, or detectors are better) will be to note down on a piece of paper the type and intensity of the smell they perceive on three different days of the week, during three distinct time periods: morning, lunchtime and afternoon.

The data will be sent to ARPA Lombardia for assessment, “so, you will all have to be constant,” the ARPA representative at the meeting, together with the local police, council technicians, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, as well as “Amici della Terra”, an association chaired by Arturo Bortoluzzi, who, for some time, have supported the action.

Another issue is that of the discomfort or breathing difficulties suffered in the area; here. too, ARPA was clear. “You should inform the local health authority of any problems relating to public health.”

The goal of this mapping is to understand the source of the smells, in order to be able to intervene effectively.

The days and times of the detection will be updated when summer comes, when, according to many of the residents present, strong smells are perceptible even at night.