FAQ - Frequently Asked Question
To facilitate consultation, the following Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ) have been divided into subjects.
Water
Is it possible to know the
swimming suitability of beaches?
Information on beach suitability is available on the web site of
the Ministry of Health. The Ministry provides information collected
from laboratories of sampling points decided by the Regions
(Presidential Decree no. 470/82 and subsequent amendments).
Which Authority can I contact
to control the quality of sea water, in areas which are considered
to be highly polluted and dangerous for human health and the
environment?
You must contact the environmental department of the Carabinieri
and inform the City Council and the ARPA agency in charge of that
section of the coast.
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Asbestos
What is the general procedure
for clearing an area from asbestos?
If a user wishes to clear asbestos material on his own,
technical information for its safe removal can be requested from
the regional health centre (ASL) or environmental agency (ARPA).
If, however, this involves the intervention of a private company
that will remove the material, users must first verify whether the
company has been authorized in accordance with Presidential Decree
no. 8/8/94. The company will prepare a clearance plan that will be
approved by the ASL (eventually in agreement with the ARPA as
regards the analysis of material samples collected from the
clearance site). The ASL will follow the works, certifying the
environmental reclamation of the area. For further information on
the duties of the regional ASL and ARPA consult the reclamation
plan approved by the Region of reference.
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Elettromagnetism
Who can I contact to have
information on eventual electromagnetic pollution caused by aerials
and repeaters installed near homes and residential
areas?
Information on electromagnetic pollution caused by installed
radio aerials and repeaters can be requested from Regional Agencies
for Environmental Protection (ARPA) or, for autonomous Provinces,
from Provincial Agencies for Environmental Protection (APPA). For
further information kindly consult these agencies’ web sites
which can be reached through the Agency System page.
Installations of these plants are, however, authorized by the City
Council after an evaluationof the electromagnetic impact on the
surrounding area, carried out by ARPA/APPA agencies.
Which body is in charge of
sanitary and environmental control and surveillance of the
population’s exposure to electric, magnetic and
electromagnetic fields?
In accordance with Article 14 of Law no. 36/2001 ("General law
on protection against exposure to electric, magnetic and
electromagnetic fields”) duties of sanitary and environmental
surveillance and control are in charge of the City (and Provincial)
Administrations which carry out the necessary verifications. The
above Administrations make use of the technical support provided by
Regional Agencies for Environmental Protection (ARPA) or, for
autonomous Provinces, by Provincial Agencies for Environmental
Protection (APPA).
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Energy
Is it possible to report abuses
by neighbours who use central heating without respecting the time
and consumption limits established by the law?
Centralized heating times are regulated by Presidential Decree
no. 412 of 26 August, 1993 and by Presidential Decree no. 551 of 21
December, 1999. Controls on respecting the above regulations are
carried out by City Councils having more than 40,000 inhabitants
and by Provincial Councils for the remaining areas. This is part of
a framework of activities that make the local body responsible for
promoting the protection of consumers’ and users’
interests. These include providing information, awareness and
assistance services to users. The above local bodies “(...)
carry out the necessary controls every two months to verify the
effective maintenance and functioning conditions of heating plants.
This is done at the users’ expense and also making use of
external bodies having specific technical experience." (Article 13
of Presidential Decree no. 551of 21/12/1999).
If a local body hands over the
duty of controlling maintenance and functioning of heating plants
to an external body, what are the requirements for carrying out
this activity?
If controls as per paragraph 18 of Presidential Decree no. 551
of 21/12/1999 are entrusted to external bodies, City and Provincial
Councils stipulate agreements with bodies which show they have a
good technical and professional experience, a satisfying knowledge
of regulations on controls that need to be carried out and the
ability to prepare the necessary certificates, minutes and reports
related to the controls they have carried out, (Attachment 1 of
Presidential Decree no. 551 of 21/12/1999). In accordance with
Article 3 of Law no. 10 of 9/1/1991 or upon specific request, the
ENEA provides assistance and verifications of technical compliance
of the above bodies to those who request for it.
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Radon
Who do I need to contact to
request for radon gas measurements in domestic and employment
environments?
You can contact the Regional Agencies for Environmental
Protection (ARPA) or, for autonomous Provinces, the Provincial
Agencies for Environmental Protection (APPA). Their contacts are
available on the Agency
System page. You can also contact “adequately
equipped” private companies (paragraph 4, Article 10c) of
Legislative Decree no. 241/2000).
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Waste
What activity classes need to
be included in the application of waste disposal
tariffs?
Activity classes are indicated in Presidential Decree no. 158/99
(tables 3a), 3b), 4a) and 4b).However, reference should in any case
be made to regulations on tariff application and to the relative
tariff decisions issued by the local City Council of reference.
Is it possible to discharge
water generated by a domestic air conditioning plant in the sewage,
even if it has a slightly higher temperature than the one that
enters the plant?
Authorizations on discharges are regulated by Article 45 of
Legislative Decree no.152/99 and subsequent amendments and
additions. In particular, paragraph 4 says: "as an exception to
paragraph 1 (which says that all discharges must be previously
authorized), domestic water discharge flows channeled into sewage
networks are always admitted in compliance with regulations fixed
by the local Integrated Water Service management”.
Is it possible to have acces to
data on the quantity of differentiated waste collected by Regions
and metropolitan Cities of Italy?
All information on waste is contained in the publication entitled:
"Rapporto rifiuti 2007" (Waste Report 2007) which is available on
the following APAT web site:
http://www.apat.gov.it/site/it-IT/APAT/Pubblicazioni/Rapporto_rifiuti/Documento/rapporto_rif_07.html
Is there any data on the
quantity of batteries collected in terms of tons per
year?
APAT’s report "Rapporto rifiuti 2006" divides data into
groups. Therefore, data on batteries also includes accumulators.
The publication is available on the following web site:
http://www.apat.gov.it/site/it-IT/APAT/Pubblicazioni/Rapporto_rifiuti/Documento/rapporto_rif_07.html.
For further, more detailed information kindly contact the City
Councils and/or the bodies in charge of battery collection
directly.
Is there a list of all dumps existing in our
territory?
In particular, is there one for
dumps receiving special dangerous waste?
APAT’s publication "Rapporto rifiuti 2006" indicates the
total number (at national, regional and provincial level) of dumps
that receive special waste.However, for privacy purposes, it does
not indicate the company’s name. The report is available on
the APAT web site at the following address:
http://www.apat.gov.it/site/it-IT/APAT/Pubblicazioni/Rapporto_rifiuti/Documento/rapporto_rif_07.html.
For more detailed information kindly contact Regions and Provinces
directly, since they have the complete list of dumps existing in
their territory.
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Noise
What are the main regulations
on noise?
“The general law that regulates sound pollution is Law no.
447 of 26 October, 1995. Accompanied by the subsequently issued
implementation Decrees, it defines the duties of public bodies in
charge of regulating, planning and controlling activities (State,
Regions, Provinces and City Councils). It also establishes
parameters and limits for the same definition of noise pollution.
For a complete list of Italian laws on this sector, users are
advised to consult the page on noise pollution regulations in
force.
As far as European laws are concerned, reference can be made
to:
- Directive no. 2002/49 on the management of environmental noise
which contains provisions for metropolitan cities and transport
infrastructures in the realization of Strategic Noise Maps and
specific Action Plans;
- Directive no. 2000/14 (acknowledged in Italy with Legislative
Decree no. 262 of 4 September, 2002) concerning noise emission of
vehicles and machinery operating in the outdoor environment.
Directive no. 2000/14 aims at reducing sound pollution by acting on
the source.
Further information can be obtained from the European
Commission website.
Among its activities and
services does APAT also measure sound pollution in private
homes?
"The APAT Agency does not carry out direct control activities at
local level. This is done by Regional agencies for environmental
protection (ARPA) or Provincial ones in case of autonomous
Provinces (APPA). You therefore need to contact the ARPA/APPA
agency of your Region. A list of these Agencies is available on the
Agency System
page".
In what ways does the law
control and reduce sound pollution involving the various local
institutional bodies?
City Councils must make a noise classification (i.e. zoning of
the territory). Regions, in accordance with general Law no. 447/95,
must issue specific regional laws which contain the modalities for
fixing classes and the criteria for realizing an acoustic
classification of cities as well as administrative aspects
regarding the local management of sound pollution.
What does noise classification
(or zoning) of the territory mean?
Noise classifications are plans prepared by the City Council
that are used as a reference by the local territory. They divide
the territory into acoustically homogeneous areas which have
specific sound limits during periods of reference in the day and
night. The planning activity aims, above all, at classifying the
sound produced by human activities and, secondly, at regulating the
exercise bringing sound emissions within the limits established by
law (Table A of D.P.C.M. 14/11/1997).
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Environmental reports
Who can I contact to seek for
more protection of natural and landscape environments and agrofood
security?
You can contact the Provincial Forest
Authority of the State.
Who can I contact to report an
environmental crime?
You can contact the environmental department of
the Carabinieri at the Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea
Protection, through the toll free number:
800.253608.
Who can I contact to have
information on the environmental impact of civil or industrial
constructions or of other threats against the
environment?
You can obtain this information by contacting the City Council
and the ARPA or APPA (Regional or Provincial environmental agency)
in the Region or Province (in case of autonomous provinces)
depending on where the construction project is based.
Who can I contact to seek for
more protection of public gardens and green areas in my
city?
The Office of the City’s Councillor for the Environment
can provide direct information or eventually indicate which company
is in charge of managing the green areas on behalf of the City
Council.
How can a citizen protect
himself if the collection of solid urban waste in his city is
inefficient and constantly blocked due to the closing down of local
collection points?
Article 59, paragraph 4 of Legislative Decree no. 507/1993,
gives citizens the right to request for reimbursement of 60% of the
rate paid for the disposal of solid urban waste if this is
inefficient, due to the closing down of local collection points. If
the reimbursement request is not accepted by the City Council,
citizens can take the action they believe most adequate, contacting
the ombudsman for example or seeking for legal assistance from a
consumer association.
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