it around the country. Number of birth defects today - the most
highest in the history of the city, and every year it increases.



Dumping at sea of toxic waste - apparently with lying on the bank
petrochemical plant - led to a ban on fishing in an area where recent
first began "red tides".



Augusta begin to understand the problem, barely entered the town: it hard to breathe
in the air hangs thick smog, and the local fishermen's boats pulled ashore.



When Roberto Kampizi prosecutor closest to the Augusta city of Syracuse, has seen
analysis of samples taken from these places caught in the red mullet,
he discovered that the fish in high concentrations of heavy metals -
arsenic, nickel, lead and mercury. The concentration of highly toxic mercury caused
of particular concern, it is 500 times greater than the maximum permissible level.



Since 1981, when the first increase in the number of children with congenital deformities,
the blame for this lay in the huge plant of the company Enichem. Environmental
organization Legambiente and local doctors have launched a campaign in which
conducted numerous investigations. But experts have not yet come to any
indisputable conclusions, the most important investigation dragged on formorethan a year.



The patience of local residents coming to an end. Two months ago, were arrested
manager and several technicians petrochemical plant, which is charged with
conspiracy and the illegal trade in waste. They will be court. Topics
time a group of local officials, which included doctors and biologists, beginning
investigation over a thousand cases of congenital anomalies that occurred in Augusta
for the past 23 years.



"The data obtained during investigations by our experts, it is extremely
disturbing - said Kampizi newspaper La Repubblica. - We aim to establish a connection
between waste plant and deformities in children ".



To convince the judges of the existence of a clear relationship between the dumping of the rich and
powerful corporations and the suffering of ordinary people - not an easy task.



The first investigation was launched in 1981, when local hospitals are born
13 children with deformities, seven of whom died. The findings of this investigation
reduced to that of congenital anomalies in Augusta anymorethan anywhere else.




A doctor at the local hospital Giacinto Franco does not agree with this conclusion. "Here we
dealing with this syndrome "- he said two years ago.



No one doubts that the Augusta was in trouble. There is little doubt
is to blame for.


Source: Inopressa.com