"Steel pollution case highlights Italy's slow decline" by James Mackenzie
August 30 8:20pm
On August 29th 2012 in Reuters James Mackenzie Reported ILVA
steel works a Riva group plant in Taranto, Italy is in trouble for
violating environmental laws. Family owned industry is now facing serious
charges for put the city of Taranto in risk for many years. Judges have ordered
to clean or be shut down. As many as 20,000 workers are on risk for loosing
their jobs, ILVA has dominated the city's economy for last 50 years. Officials
are trying to come up with a solution to clean up and issue a new environmental
certificate that would let the plant allow continue operation. This problem has
produced an abnormal level of tumors and chronic respiratory diseases in the
city. This incident is an example of Italy's corruption and a bad economy with
a growth rate of less then 1 percent a year. Unlike many other modern
steel plants in Germany or France with their advanced filters and safety
systems ILVA’S huge smokestacks has dumped thousands of emissions on the city
which has impacted just not humans but also the fishing and farmland around the
city. On regular basis not just the workers but also every single person living
in city is inhaling benzoapyrene and other cancer-causing chemicals. Reading
this article has made me realized how difficult this decision would be for the
city of Taranto, if they shut down the plant today thousands of workers will
loose their jobs and will not be able to support their families. This would
have a huge impact on the economy of the country. However if we don’t find a way
to clean the plant this would just increase the rates of mortality in the city
and infect thousands of people with cancer and other diseases.
This article is important because
globally all nations should understand that they are regulators and should control
if one person or one plant fails to follow laws whether they are driving laws
or environmental laws. The city should have stepped in this long time ago no
matter what health is the number one priority. This company should be forced to
improve their filters and safety systems before further operation.
Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/29/us-italy-pollution-idINBRE87S07B20120829
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