Councillor’s secrets

by Daniela Zannetti

The human anthropic pression on environment and natural resources, in addiction to destruction of ecosystems, can generate threat against citizens health. Some environmental policies seek a reduction of the impact, acting on the waste disposal cycle. That’s the case of Rossella Zadro, Ferrara environmental councillor, which explains her initiatives on “reciprocity” for the reduction of garbage production, or composting to valorize organic matter without combustion.

Ferrara city councillor Rossella Zadro's "mutual" ambiental policies says «What keeps terms between entity and territories it's not money, whose create gradients, but is the "gift" that generate a common reciprocity». Zadro explains: «Recovering unsold goods at the end of the day, giving those to associations, helps to keep down the ammount of waste destined to dump». Zadro also support the idea of giving a TIA discount to sellers to gain a beneficial “gift” exchange for everyone implicated (Andrea Segrè’s Last Minute Market). «Or the recovery of still usefull drugs thanks to a public and private partership: universities, phamarcies and local governs , this operation allows a saving of 110 thousands euros on drugs and provide univeristary students formation credits. The result of this operation also gives to pharmaceutical companies the possibility of changing their "blister". We would like that companies are going to modify their production on the promise of wastage reduction».

“XI commandment should be: do not waste", a policy without hesitations for keeping up the demand of "ambient" from citizens. Like the "No" at Linea2 by multiutility Hera implant (waste and energy, water services) that were destined to burn 45 thousands Tons of biomass waste. «Mayors and municipalities should cleaning the air from the products of combustion- says the councillor- particulate matter (PM) emissions from Hera were destined to impact on an area already occupied by a petrolchimical implant and by a incinerator that dispose 130 thousand Tons of garbage».

It's a recent news: the petrolchimical implant will get a magistrature controlled activity after a citizens petition. A monitored territory where recovery is every day duty, even Hera is getting a tweak to reduce even more the emission that now are 10 times under the law's limits. «We cannot compute the social cost in terms of pubblic health wherever pollution is not controlled - explains Zadro who adds - Our rapports with Hera are good but even if burning biomasses is provided by the Regional Waste Plan we are shocked from the fact that in Bologna (Hera Ambiente) decisions are made by technicians without any policy evaluation. We work so hard on our the separate collection because we want it to be enhanced as compost and not as mere energy. Without this efforts we wouldn't give the 15% discount on the waste collection tax to those who practice composting, helping to reduce organic waste».

«Keeping in mind that we don't get any help from the national regulation, we designed some other projects with addictional TIA discount to merchants who utilize bulk water. We produce about 719 Kg pro capita garbage, with an experimental policy in a small area outside the center of the city, we detected a reduction of about 105Kg pro capita garbage which 45% is umid-organic waste. We distributed 1819 composters to citizens which 1270 of them asked for the discount, but we will proceed with some verification to assure there will not be pressures only on paying citizen. In our three-year plan with Hera- keep explaining Rossella - we setted some indicators to maintain and overcome the 65% separate collection law expected by 2012 on the 50% base achieved in 2010. Returning to Biomasses, there is an implant at Argenta, it's a short chain one and it's placed in open countryside. A 3MW impant in Ferrara would be unthinkable especially thinking there it would be a raise in truck traffic, already considerable, on the roads near the city».

Municipalities and national provinces should be doing universally recognized environmental pacts. Becoming low waste stakeholder with citizens. Agreeing on common ways between different administrations. Creating Life+ between Nord and South Italy Governs. Finally: building a sustainability net.