The agreement would be there, but it doesn’t like it. If on the one hand the Chamber gives the green light to the ex-Ilva decree, which allocates funds and traces the regulatory path for the sale of the steel policy and-already approved by the Senate-now becomes law-, on the other the mayor of Taranto, Piero Bitetti, revokes his resignation and goes to Rome to declare that the program agreement as it is does not satisfy the needs of the city.
He thus asked for an update of the meeting to evaluate other proposals, remarking that Taranto will no longer accept choices imposed from above that make it an “zone of sacrifice”.
The program agreement proposed by the Government provides for the construction of three electric ovens to gradually replace the coal altiforni. But the Municipality of Taranto also proposes the construction of a dri plant (Direct Reduced Iron) and one for the capture and storage of CO₂. Minister Urso indicated that the DRI project will be addressed in a later phase.
What is going on
The former ILVA today is controlled by Acciaierie d’Italia, a company participated by the State with Invitalia in extraordinary administration. These are the largest steelworker in Europe but for the various national and local institutions to be sold must be sold, they must approve the plan which, according to the Ministry, should reduce the environmental impact of the factory, through the installation of electric ovens and pre -labor systems (a type of iron).
Therefore, the Chamber of Deputies has approved the trust on the decree law which provides for urgent measures for the relaunch of the former Ilva, including state funding up to 200 million euros for interventions on the plants and to guarantee its safety, but currently there is no signature of the agreement by local institutions, since there is no unanimous consent between the parties involved.
I am in Rome to represent the city of Taranto and to reiterate that I will not sign the program agreement because as it is structured it does not satisfy us
Posted by Piero Bitetti on Thursday, July 31, 2025
The next meeting to further discuss the question could be held on August 12th.
Summary? While the government is trying to advance with a (vacillating) plan of deduction of the former Ilva, the local institutions, represented by the mayor Bitetti, are asking for substantial changes to the agreement to ensure that the environmental and employment needs of the city are adequately considered.
The plan for the future of the former Ilva of Taranto is a cry of alarm and cannot fail to raise strong concerns to the health of citizens, in particular due to the violations of European regulations on pollution. Despite the official commitments to reduce the environmental impact through cleaner technologies, the health situation is alarming: the pollution caused by the steel that has devastating effects, especially in the Tamburi district, where significant damage to health were ascertained, including lung tumors, respiratory and heart disease.
Over the years epidemiological studies have confirmed a serious exposure to heavy metals and dioxin, with feedback in children and women, as in the case of contaminated breast milk. Despite the scientific evidence, the measures proposed to mitigate the pollution remain insufficient, and the authorization to continue production does not take into account the most recent European directives on air quality, limiting itself to 2010 obsolete regulations. Furthermore, the decarbonisation plan, although existing, does not impose concrete measures to reduce the use of coal before 2037, further worsening the picture.
In addition, the lack of transparency and poor public participation in the approval of authorizations, together with the omissions in the control procedures, raise further concerns. We now know well that the government has not respected the European regulations regarding the evaluation of the health impact, leaving the manager of the system the responsibility to draw up health studies that may not be impartial.
An atrocious scenario, which highlights a persistent and neglected health risk. To the detriment, needless to say, of the citizens.
Sources: Piero Bitetti / Chamber of Deputies
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