For months, serious contamination by PFBA, a perfluoroalkyl substance originating from the Pedemontana Veneta construction site that polluted aquifers in the Vicenza region, was apparently hidden from the public. The commemoration was launched by the Tuteliamo la Salute Committee, which published an official document from the Veneto Regional Agency for Environmental Prevention and Protection (Arpav) highlighting PFBA concentration is up to 2,212 nanograms per liter in some mines they are used as dumping sites for road excavated materials. Although communication from the environmental agency to the City Government began on 19 May 2025, citizens will not be informed of this risk, especially in Montecchio Precalcinowhere the mayor appeared to downplay the emergency.
«The Municipality of Montecchio Precalcino knew about the Pfas situation since May»: this is the main accusation of the Committee, which during the press conference presented documentation regarding the contamination. Last May 19, ARPAV actually sent a communication to the Region, the waterways management, the ULSS, the Province of Vicenza and the municipalities of Montecchio Precalcino and Marano Vicentino, in which it explicitly spoke about «discovery of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFBA) in underground aquifers of the upper-central Vicenza region and in aqueduct wells». Arpav’s investigations focused on three areas – Cava Vianelle (Marano Vicentino), Terraglioni Landfill and Cava Cavedagnona (both in Montecchio Precalcino) – where the entirety of a significant volume of excavated soil had been channeled. Analysis revealed «PFBA in runoff water, with peaks even exceeding 2,000 ng/la generally dominant parameter compared to other PFAS”, with isolated measurements reaching 2,212 ng/l at the Cavedagnona mine, 826 ng/l at Vianelle, and 643 ng/l at the Terraglioni landfill. Figures that, if extended to the aquifer and collection network, would have serious impacts on drinking water.
The Committee highlighted the worrying hydrogeological picture. «Following the elaboration of the hydrogeology of the Vicenza aquifer and the associated underground flow directions, a scenario progressive contamination by PFBA in the Vicenza aquifer coming from the northnot better identified”, we read in Arpav’s document dated November 12. That is, the Committee warned, Its spread can affect adjacent areasincluding collection wells used for Padua’s aqueduct and a number of private wells in towns such as Dueville, where some 13,000 people depend on draws that are not regularly checked.
The political controversy revolved around the behavior of the local government: although Mayor Marano provided information to agencies and citizens, the Committee accused the administration of Montecchio Precalcino of «he did not mention the environmental and health emergency that Arpav had conveyed to him», despite an April 7 city resolution calling for a ban on PFAS in the region. In parallel, ecological associations such as Covepa condemned the waste dump there are many more than officially announced – there is talk of dozens of “hot spots” – and the monitoring remains “incomplete”, with piezometric networks often missing.
The committee also condemned it delivery of 30,600 m3 of contaminated material to Cava Brugianeowned by Silva Srl, as well as the presence of PFBA in the piezometer groundwater downstream of the Terraglioni landfill in Montecchio Precalcino. This prompted the Committee to write to the Province of Vicenza asking to block new settlements in the area and begin studies and reclamation. «The Let’s Protect Health Committee, after consulting with environmental law experts, believes that this is now necessary and appropriate. do not add new, high-impact solutions like those proposed by Silva in areas that are already affected and need to be monitored for years to come.” The committee concluded by calling for immediate intervention: «We ask that institutions intervene to protect the population and the area with appropriate studies, reclamation and rehabilitation interventions in areas where PFAS pollution has been found».
Meanwhile, last month the Vicenza Prosecutor’s Office closed the investigation into Superstrada Pedemontana Veneta and charged 12 people, including the management of the SIS Consortium, the management of Strada Pedemontana Veneta SpA, the technical director and the site manager. environmental pollution and failure to clean up. In particular, the investigation relates to the work carried out from 28 June 2021 to 23 January 2024 for the Malo and Sant’Urbano (Vicenza) tunnels. Based on the hypothesis, the suspects did not respect the technical requirements relating to the composition of concrete, using accelerators containing PFBA in concentrations higher than permittedcausing surface and ground water pollution in the cities of Castelgomberto, Malo, Montecchio Maggiore, Isola Vicentina and Costabissara.
