Calabria, environmental pollution and waste illicitly disposed of on agricultural land. Investigative investigations, checks and interceptions by the Carabinieri.

Tons of product, classified as fertilizer, but actually made up of waste illicitly disposed of on agricultural land in the provinces of Vibo Valentia, Catanzaro and Reggio Calabria. The investigation conducted by the Carabinieri from the Northern Operational Unit of Serra San Bruno together with the Nipaaf of the Forestry Carabinieri of Vibo Valentia, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor Camillo Falvo and a deputy co-owner of the proceedings, revolves around this hypothesis of environmental pollution.

At the center of the investigative activity is the cycle waste transformation carried out within a recovery plant in Vibo.

The origin of the investigation and the accusatory hypotheses

An investigative activity that already between March and November 2021, through interceptions, sampling and controls, had led to the referral of eleven people and the reporting of three companies for criminal and administrative liability.

The company located in the Vibo hinterland, operating in the sector of recovering organic waste from separate waste collection, should have produced mixed composted soil improver. The same in fact, by not respecting the procedure established within theintegrated environmental authorization, generated a product that had not lost its status as waste, containing plastics, glass and metals, even heavy ones such as hexavalent chromium, and irreparably polluting the agricultural land where it was spread.

Furthermore, the production process was carried out inside sheds, whose doors should have remained closed; in fact the activity was carried out by keeping them open, not allowing the correct use of the filters and determining pollution of the air due to dust and emissions released into the atmosphere.

The investigation allowed us to crystallize the alleged illicit conduct of various subjects, implemented through decision-making, executive and material activities, connected to the positions and functions, both senior and otherwise, held within the same company.

A manager of the Calabria Region and some technicians also ended up in the investigators' sights.