In the Pomezia area, on the outskirts of Rome, on Via Pontina Vecchia at kilometer 33, a fire broke out fire inside Eco X, a deposit of plastics, paper and other recycled materials: due to the combustion, a large cloud of black smoke is rising in the sky, visible several kilometers away.
The firefighters of Rome and Pomezia have been at work on site since 8,30, with at least ten teams with the help of foam wagons and a vehicle similar to the one used at airports with liquid foam, as well as helicopters and excavators. The police communicate that “at the moment the thick column of smoke is under control: there are no injured or intoxicated people and for now smoke and flames have not involved inhabited centres".
(May 5-13:00) #Pomezia(RM), in progress since 8:30 waste storage company fire. I invite the population not to open the windows of the houses pic.twitter.com/3wvvphYE1Z
— Firefighters (@emergencyvvf) 5 May 2017
There is still no certainty as to what type of material is burning in the fire that broke out inside the shed but it is feared that it is recycled plastics. A very impactful material, even more impactful if in its raw state, therefore untreated, and what if burned it produces dioxin. If so, this "could be a real disaster, the worst in recent years", the president of Legambiente Lazio Roberto Scacchi who is following the story told Adnkronos.
Arpa Lazio is at work precisely to understand the nature, quality and quantity of the material that is burning in this area which has dozens of companies in the waste cycle. And on the EcoX, according to Adnkronos, "rumors of intentions to sell are circulating and with these the doubt that the fire could be of an arson nature", reports Scacchi again.
"We are very worried. It's a really bad situation – admits Scacchi – among the risks of burning plastic materials there is the emission of dioxins into the air with consequent damage to the respiratory tract, but not only”. To be crops and livestock could also be at risk because "these burnt materials are not dispersed with the wind but are deposited on the ground".
