The Guardia di Finanza of Trieste has seized about 70 tons of wood pellets introduced in Italy in violation of the rules governing their marketing.
In particular, during the checks at the border crossings, implemented to combat the import and marketing of counterfeit and / or unsafe products for the health of the consumer, the soldiers of the Company of Muggia intercepted three different shipments of wood pellets , departed from Eastern Europe and destined for the Italian market.
The investigations carried out in order to verify the genuineness, origin and provenance, made it possible to ascertain, on two occasions, the lack, on the graphics of the individual plastic bags, of some of the minimum indications that the legislator has provided for the marketing. of the product within the community.
This is a whole series of information obligations envisaged for the presentation of products to the consumer which must also be taken into due consideration for the sale of pellets; on the other hand, sometimes, in order to prevent the traceability of the product, even the minimum information required by law is omitted on the packaging. This led to the administrative seizure of the two batches of pellets, totaling 45 tons, already packed in 3,000 bags ready for wholesale and retail.
In the third case, however, an undue use of the ENplus certification mark was ascertained. It is a registered international trademark that is very widespread at European level, guaranteeing the entire supply chain as a whole, from the production phase of the pellet to that of its delivery to the customer. The very fact that the pellet is ENplus certified is an expression of high quality standards which, in addition to making the product commercially more requested for the best heating capacity, are also minimum requirements envisaged in certain areas of Italy to reduce air pollution. .
Once the attempt to put industrial products into circulation capable of misleading the buyer about the origin, provenance and quality was ascertained, the complaint to the Trieste Judicial Authority was inevitable with the seizure of the 23,760 kg. of pellets.
The operation of the Guardia di Finanza confirms the daily commitment of the Corps to combat the spread of counterfeit products that do not comply with safety standards, in order to help ensure effective consumer protection and a competitive market where honest economic operators benefit from fair conditions of competition.