APCOM

A 12 million Euro investment for a new fume purification system that allows to knock down the emission of polluting agents by 60%. These are the chief figures of Denox, the plant inaugurated on Tuesday in the waste incinerator Silla 2, Milano's biggest one, by all the delegates of the most important regional institutions, beginning from mayor Letizia Moratti. The denitrification system, as it is defined in technical jargon, is able to dispose of 450 thousand tons of waste per year, that is 10% of the regional production.

At the same time it is expected to contrast the emissions of nitrogen oxides and acids, the main responsible for smog's formation, which are produced by the Silla incinerator. The latest began operating in 2001 and it disposes of the non-recyclable waste by yielding electric energy for over 100 thousand families and heat for 15 thousand houses. Letizia Moratti pointed out that "handling of the waste must follow two tracks, both that of incinerators and of separate waste's collection, which in Milano has reached 43%, an advanced level compared to the rest of Europe as well, while incinerators cover around 40%."

However the disposal of waste in Lombardia calls for a new plant in addition to the 12 already working. Local institutions agree on this need, as remembered by the province's president Filippo Penati, who was also present at the inauguration. "A new large-sized incinerator is necessary, no doubt about it, but we don't know whether it will replace the existing one yet." Lombardia's governor Roberto Formigoni underlined that "It is up to the region's authorities to decide where and how to build it. We are going to have some definite news within a few weeks."