Toxic waste in Saronno: “We want an environmental check immediately”

An immediate environmental check of the toxic waste stored in Saronno has been called for by the Mayor, Luciano Porro, in a letter that the city has just sent to the Lombardy regional environmental protection agency, ARPA, and to Varese Province. The object of the check is 9000 m³ of toxic waste, which a decree by a government commissioner has ordered to be taken away to a company in Saronno, Solter Ltd, which is authorised to store this type of waste. The source: the decontamination of the dumps of the former chemical plant in Pioltello and Rodano. Nine thousand cubic metres fill hundreds of trucks, which, since Sunday morning, have been driving between the motorway and the company, in Via Grieg, just behind Saronno South station. The waste is contained in closed protected bags from which nothing should spill.

“We don’t know whether or not this waste is toxic, nobody has told us its danger level, also because nobody has warned us about it,” the Mayor explained. “From our inquiries, it should be lamp black and earth, as was claimed yesterday. But we want to understand which chemical products it contains. It’s unthinkable that the government commissioner should decide on this waste storage without the involvement of the council, only that of the Region and the Province, by letter.” The regional councillor, Rienzo Azzi, has also got involved in the matter, presenting a question to the Lombardy Council, which should be discussed in the few days.

The people at Solter prefer to say nothing. In the warehouse, large 1m³ canvasses can be seen from the street, which are being placed one on top of the other. We asked to speak with the person in charge, but were told that he was not available and that the company did not have a secretary’s office.

“We don’t doubt that the company is able to handle this type of waste,” the Mayor explained. “We understand the Region’s haste, in order to avoid sanctions from Europe for the handling of this waste. But we want answers. Why weren’t we involved? When we called the Region, why did the political authorities know nothing, only the directors of the sector? Why weren’t we informed of this operation by Varese Province, who received the letter from the government commissioner? But most of all, what exactly do these bags contain? Is that earth contaminated with chemicals? Which ones? Why send them to Saronno? Are we sure that nothing will be spilled while the trucks are in transit?”