Environment, Councilor Maione: “65 million to remediate 18 'orphan sites' throughout the Lombardy region, thanks to the synergy with the Government”.

Thanks to an allocation of 14 million euros (entirely regional resources) which are added to the 51 foreseen by the Pnrr, the first 18 'orphan sites' (potentially contaminated areas where the person responsible for the pollution cannot be identified) in various Lombard provinces.

This is the objective of the resolution approved by the regional council on the proposal of the vice-president and councilor for the budget, Marco Alparone, in agreement with the councilor for the environment and climate, Giorgio Maione.

"These are interventions that our territories have been waiting for for decades. In Lombardy – explained Maione – we are implementing a maxi reclamation plan which will characterize environmental and urban regeneration policies for a long time. In the past, sensitivity on territorial issues was decidedly lower and we are faced with situations caused perhaps fifty years ago and for which it is now difficult to take action against those responsible. In these cases, therefore, the burden of substitutive reclamation, safety and environmental restoration interventions is borne by the Public Administration. And the Region wants to intervene".

"This integration of resources – he explained – is made possible by the solidity of our budget and a synergistic relationship with the Government. Contacts with the minister are daily. Lombardy can no longer wait and today we are giving an extraordinary response".

"Clearly - continued the councilor - every situation is different and therefore the timing also varies from project to project, but the Pnrr envisages the redevelopment of at least 70% of the land surface of the orphan sites by the first quarter of 2026. The timing they are therefore tight and the Region's intervention was timely".

PROVINCE OF MILAN:

- Milanfer, executive planning and implementation of soil remediation.

- Have fat, Former incinerator area. Disused area owned by the municipality used as an urban waste incineration plant. The pollution of the site concerns the soil, in particular due to the presence of metals. The reclamation intervention concerns the removal of waste present and the permanent safety of the area through the implementation of a capping to waterproof the surfaces. The latest analyzes conducted on groundwater (March 2023) showed a situation of compliance with regulatory limits.

- Boffalora Sopra Ticino, SS11 spill – accident of 23/11/2006. Tread of the former SS 11 contaminated by hydrocarbons following an accidental spill. The reclamation process was stopped at the testing which had still highlighted exceedances; therefore, the test was redone in cross-examination with Arpa which highlighted the absence of the exceedances detected in the past.

- Morimondo, Former SIECAM. The industrial area is active and consists of two main factory buildings joined together: production warehouse and office building. The company Eurosat Srl (not responsible tenant) currently operates on the site and deals with the satin finishing of stainless steel pipes. The reclamation process was started in 2003 following a union ordinance which ordered the SIECAM company to remove the abandoned waste and carry out environmental investigations, following which the soil was found to be contaminated for the heavy hydrocarbon parameter. From the past investigations present in the documents and from those carried out in autumn 2023, 4 contamination hotspots have been identified for which the remediation project involves the removal through excavation and disposal of 3 hotspots with the exception of one for which the analysis of risk which highlighted the absence of risk to human health.

- Sixth St. John, Sacred Area. Disused industrial/artisan area. The last activity carried out in the area was that of carpentry carried out starting from the 50s, previously it was an industrial area that worked metals and before that a company that produced umbrella rods. The area is affected by soil contamination due to hydrocarbon parameters in the area where the heating tanks were located and due to the presence of waste. The planning is still underway.

- Sesto San Giovanni, Area Viale Italia 936. Disused industrial area where metal carpentry work was carried out. Since the start of the reclamation process, which took place in 2010 following environmental investigations functional to the change of intended use, the area has been subject to the transfer of waste deriving from construction works. The contamination concerns the soil for the metal and hydrocarbon parameters. In 2023, additional investigations were carried out in order to update the reclamation project and characterize the waste present in the area. The planning is currently still underway.

- Turbigo, Molinara Agricultural Area. Intervention by private individuals.

- Vimodrone, Nova–Elfe area. Former ECA Landfill This is a pre-standard landfill area with the presence of roadside solid waste and is currently the subject of illegal settlements. The soil is contaminated by heavy metals and organic compounds and there are excesses in the groundwater for chlorinated solvents which are not attributable to the landfill as they are also detected in the hydrogeological upstream piezometers and attributable to widespread pollution. The design involves permanent safety measures through surface closure and environmental restoration of the site and post-operation monitoring of biogas.

PROVINCE OF COMO:

- Como Condominium Area Announced. Residential building for which the soil and groundwater were contaminated by hydrocarbons following leakage from underground tanks for domestic use in the cellar area. The reclamation intervention involves securing the cellar area using epoxy resins and monitoring the groundwater after the intervention to verify natural attenuation.

PROVINCE OF LECCO:

- Vercurago, Former Safilo area. The industrial activity concerned the production of accelerators for the vulcanization of rubber and asbestos cement products. The pollution of the site concerns the soil, in particular due to the presence of hydrocarbons, metals, PCBs and asbestos. The reclamation intervention, following a risk analysis, involves the removal of hot-spots and the permanent safety of the area through the implementation of a segregation capping for the area with the presence of waste and the safety permanent of the remaining area through the waterproofing of the surfaces. Groundwater monitoring is also envisaged in order to evaluate its qualitative status.

PROVINCE OF MONZA AND BRIANZA:

- Monza F.lli Re area of ​​Schiantarelli. Former industrial area now abandoned. The plant was used for the chrome plating, copper plating, cadmium plating, silver plating and painting of metal parts with a basement occupied by the purification plants. The pollution of the site only concerns the soil matrix, due to the presence of metals, in particular chromium VI, and hydrocarbons. The intervention involves the removal of waste present on site, the demolition of the structures, the removal of the first meter of contaminated soil and the permanent safety of the remaining portions through the waterproofing of the surfaces.

- Monza Diefenbach area. Intervention by private individuals.

- Bovisio Masciago (MB) – Ex RELUB area. Disused industrial area where mechanical and carpentry heat treatment activities were carried out from the 50s until 1993. From investigations conducted in the past, soils were found to be contaminated by hydrocarbons, aromatic amines and copper, investigations updated to 2023 showed exceedances only for metals. The reclamation process concluded with the Risk Analysis which, in fact, excluded the risk to human health. The site, therefore, is not contaminated.

- Cesano Maderno, former SNIA areas. Illegal landfill which ceased before 1980. There are various types of solid waste classifiable as dangerous and non-hazardous and fuel storage and storage drums. Soil is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic compounds, hydrocarbons, metals, aromatic organic compounds and PCBs. The design involves permanently securing the area through the construction of a diaphragm and the removal through excavation and disposal of hot-spots of contamination outside the landfill area.

- Villasanta, Ex Lombarda Petroli area. Disused industrial area. Deposit and storage activities for petroleum products were carried out in the area. The contamination of the area concerns the soil and the groundwater due to the presence of hydrocarbons and metals. The planning of the remediation intervention is currently underway.

PROVINCE OF VARESE:

- Malnate, Former SIOME area (2 lots). Industrial area now abandoned, used in the past for the manufacturing, processing and casting of metal products. Metals, heavy hydrocarbons and PAHs are present in the soil. The reclamation intervention concerns the removal of underground tanks and the excavation and disposal of contaminated soil. Ongoing and post-operation monitoring of the existing piezometric network is envisaged in order to evaluate the qualitative state of the groundwater, which has been the subject of non-compliance situations in the past.

PROVINCE OF SONDRIO:

- Sondrio, Former Fossati Cotton Mill Area. Disused industrial area where spinning and textile processing activities were carried out from the end of the 800th century until 2011. The soils are contaminated by metals and hydrocarbons and the presence of waste. Planning is currently underway.