Fire in Rome, dioxin scare

In the aftermath of the fire that erupted in Rome’s Tor Cervara district in recent days, the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA) has initiated air monitoring activities, while the Civil Protection authorities have advised the population to maintain the closure of their windows. A further cause for concern is the risk of dioxin release from the mountains of waste material in the area affected by the fire, including paper, plastic, paint, and tires. Given this, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri has signed an ordinance aimed at reinforcing existing fire prevention measures. In advance of the results of the ARPA’s surveys, the ordinance establishes a series of prohibitions, including a ban on the harvesting of foodstuffs of plant and animal origin for human consumption or sale; a prohibition on grazing and razing of farmyard animals; and a ban on the use of fodder and cereals for animals harvested within a one-kilometre radius of the affected area.