Pollution in the Sarno Plain: A braking system company in Striano seized.

A new blow to pollution in the Sarno Plain comes from Operation "Rinascita Sarno," conducted by the Carabinieri of the Naples Environmental Protection Group together with the Provincial Command. This morning, the precautionary seizure of Ecobrake srl, a company based in Striano, engaged in the design and production of braking systems and components for motor vehicles, was initiated. The order was issued by the preliminary investigations judge of the Torre Annunziata Court at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office, as part of an investigation into serious environmental violations.

According to investigations conducted by the NOE with the technical support of ARPA Campania, the company allegedly conducted its production activities without the necessary environmental permits. Specifically, industrial wastewater from manufacturing processes and yard runoff was dumped directly onto the ground, bypassing costly purification treatments and significantly impacting the surrounding environment.

Analyses of wastewater and soil samples revealed concentrations exceeding legal limits of numerous hazardous chemicals, including antimony, beryllium, copper, zinc, lead, and heavy hydrocarbons. These highly toxic, anthropogenic elements do not degrade easily and tend to accumulate over time, compromising the soil and posing a serious threat to the subsoil and groundwater. In fact, the presence of an aquifer less than one meter deep was detected right near the plant, further aggravating the accusations.

Further supporting the hypothesis of environmental pollution, as required by the Criminal Code, was the discovery of a continuous and untreated discharge of wastewater onto the land, in a particularly sensitive area like the Sarno River basin, which has been the focus of environmental emergencies for years. Investigators also discovered the illegal storage of hazardous waste, including used oil, deposited directly on the bare ground and left exposed to the elements, posing a real risk of further contamination.

The seizure of the company was deemed necessary to prevent the escalation of the consequences of the alleged crimes and to prevent the continuation of activities potentially harmful to the environment and public health. The operation is part of a broader investigative strategy carried out by the Carabinieri Environmental Protection and Energy Safety Command, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Offices of Avellino, Nocera Inferiore, and Torre Annunziata, aimed at identifying and stopping the illegal discharges that continue to threaten the Sarno River and its tributaries.