Concern is rising in Caniga, a town in Sassari, over the alleged construction of a 2,000-head intensive pig farm on Strada Vicinale Caniga-San Giorgio. Responding to residents' concerns, Forza Italia city councilor Giovanni Azzena has submitted a question to the mayor and city council. Azzena reports that the facility would be located in a densely populated area and that several potential issues need to be addressed, including air pollution and odor nuisances, as well as, he adds, a presumed health risk.
"The emission of bioaerosols and dust," the document states, "can carry pathogens, particularly antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, posing a potential public health risk that must be assessed by the appropriate health authorities." This should also be monitored in terms of water resources because, the councilor maintains, "the high nutrient load in the wastewater Agronomic Use Plan (PUA) poses a risk of groundwater pollution due to nitrates and phosphates, making rigorous monitoring of compliance with water protection requirements essential."
Finally, he continues, the potential urban impact on the area and its devaluation must be considered. With this in mind, the city councilor asks the mayor and his executive whether the application has been filed with the SUAP office and/or the AIA (Integrated Environmental Authorization) process has been initiated for the plant, and what the status of the opinion of urban planning compliance issued by the Municipality is in relation to the Technical Implementation Standards (NTA) of the current PUC (Public Planning Scheme).
If the project has been initiated, the question is whether the Municipality has already expressed its opinion at the Services Conference and, if so, that "the outcome and the environmental requirements imposed to ensure the application of Best Available Techniques for the sector be specified." Another expected opinion is that of the Local Health Authority (ASL), to ensure "strict compliance with minimum distances and olfactory acceptability levels, with reference to the results of the Odor Dispersion Modeling presented by the proponent." The final two points raised are whether a Health Impact Assessment for the potential plant is underway and "whether the Agronomic Use Plan (PUA) has been validated in relation to the carrying capacity of the surrounding soils and what groundwater monitoring and control measures have been implemented to prevent nitrate contamination, in compliance with water protection obligations."
