Volcanic ash becomes a material not subject to waste regulations. This, in practical terms, for the territories affected by the phenomena connected to the activity of Etna, the most important element among those included in the decree-law n. 77 of 31 May last «Governance of the National Plan for relaunch and resilience and first measures to strengthen administrative structures and accelerate and streamline procedures».
In fact, in article 35 paragraph 1 b, the rule inserted by Senator Cristiano Anastasi was accepted, which modifies the discipline provided for by the Environmental Code, as was the wish of the mayor of Acireale, ing. Stefano Ali, who had represented the problem in various locations, underlining the aspects related to costs. Not surprisingly, Senator Anastasi, in illustrating the benefits of the recent decree law, started from Acireale.
«Volcanic ash was considered a waste – explained Senator Anastasi – but with the Ministry of Ecological Transition we have created an exception to the Environmental Code, making it a resource, a raw material. With the University of Catania, especially the Faculties of Engineering and Agriculture, we will be able to establish which are the best destinations for volcanic ash ».
Meanwhile, as Senator Anastasi observed, it emerged that the municipalities are no longer obliged to landfill the sand that “rains” from Etna, but must sweep it and temporarily store it in an appropriate place, pending reuse. A measure that will entail, first of all, financial benefits, in line with what was requested by the first Acese citizen.
“When the phenomenon occurred – said the mayor Alì – I submitted the problem to the mayor of the metropolitan city, Hon. Salvo Pogliese, and he, in fact, has worked by issuing an ordinance that distinguished the ash according to the area in which it fell, between the inside of the town and outside. In the first case it is sweeping earth, in the second it becomes inert material. The difference is of particular importance in terms of disposal costs: 140 euros per ton for the sweeping soil, just 7.5 for the aggregate ».