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• A monitoring campaign of 34 months was conducted on 76 Wastewater Treatment Plants. • Influent and effluent concentrations of 13 Organic Micropollutants were determined. • Some illicit drugs and Ketoprofen showed the highest concentrations. • Steroid concentrations were in most cases under the detection limits. • Secondary-tertiary treatment provided the best removal for most of the pollutants. The present study shows the results of an experimental survey conducted over 34 months on 76 full-scale Wastewater Treatment Plants located in central Italy with the aim to determine the influent and effluent concentrations of 13 Organic Micropollutants belonging to the class of illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and steroids. The survey focused on a large set of plants differing for the main characteristics (e.g. treatment capacity, type of lay-out). Based on the values measured in the influent and effluent, removal efficiency of each contaminant in each plant was also determined, as well as the seasonal variation of the influent concentration. Among the monitored pollutants, some illicit drugs (i.e. Benzoylecgonine, 11-nor-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and Ketoprofen showed the highest concentrations in the influent and were also the most frequently detected in the wastewater; nonetheless, the plants were capable of removing these pollutants at high extent (median removal value of 70 %, 65 % and 74 %, respectively). On the other side, steroid concentrations were in most cases under the detection limits. About the type of lay-out, the comparison of the efficiency obtained by the different plants showed that combination of secondary and tertiary treatment provides the best removal for most of the target Organic Micropollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in various sludge types from a moderate-big wastewater treatment plant in the Lombardy region, Italy, was studied. Pyrene was continuously the most abundant PAH, whereas anthracene was the PAH with the lowest concentrations. Average ΣPAH concentrations ranged between 2405 ng/g (dry weight) in the secondary sludge and 2645 ng/g (dry weight) in the final sludge. A mass balance estimation between the various sludges showed no evident degradation of PAHs. The final sludge PAH concentrations were constantly at around half of the maximum permissible limit set by the European Union for use of sewage sludge in agriculture (6 mg/kg). The highest PAH concentrations were observed during the summer periods. Finally, two approaches were used to estimate the raw wastewater concentrations based on the sludge PAH concentrations. The values obtained did not differ much from the average concentrations measured at the influent wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After its judgment in the Kadzoev case, the Court of Justice has been called again to interpret the Returns Directive and its scope of application in the El Dridi case: this new ruling put an end to the situation of judicial chaos and to the very intense debate which followed non-transposition of the directive in Italian legislation. The judgment in the El Dridi case clarifies the difference between criminal detention and pre-return detention, as well as the objectives of the Returns Directive and its scope of application. This ruling will have far-reaching consequences not only on the Italian criminal and expulsions system, but also on the national legislation of a number of Member States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports the results of an investigation on a H-SSF constructed wetland for tertiary treatment in a small community located in eastern Sicily, Italy. The system is designed to reuse wastewater for the irrigation of olive orchards covering about 150 hectares. From March 2001 to September 2005, wastewater samples were collected and the following chemical-physical parameters were determined according to Standard Methods: temperature, pH, EC, DO, TSS (105 °C), BOD5, COD, TN, TP. The following microbiological parameters were also evaluated: total coliforms, faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, faecal streptococci, Salmonella, helminth eggs. Mean removal efficiencies ranged from 77 to 92% (TSS), 37 to 72% (BOD5), 51 to 79% (COD), 97 to 99.5% (E. coli ). Removal efficiency of Salmonella and helminth eggs was always 100% in all samples; however, only 15% of total samples matched the limit of E. coli (<50 CFU/100 mL) fixed by Italian legislation for wastewater reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested if subalpine heath vegetation in northern Italy recovered after experimental perturbation of soil nutrient availability (fertilization) and species composition (removal of co-dominant dwarf shrubs). Species cover was assessed non-destructively before the start of the treatments (1995), at the end of the treatments (1999) and 4 years after the treatments ended (2003). Shrub removal had rather modest effects on heath vegetation, except for mosses which decreased significantly in removal plots. Fertilization decreased the cover of shrubs, mosses, and some graminoids but increased the cover of Festuca rubra. Fertilization converted heath to grassland, but the response of graminoid species was individualistic. Fertilization decreased vascular species richness and evenness, probably through negative effects of shading and litter accumulation on plant growth or recruitment. The vegetation had not recovered completely 4 years after the perturbations had stopped. This suggests that, in contrast to rapid responses to species removal and fertilization, recovery from these perturbations was rather slow, presumably because recovery was affected by long-term biotic interactions and species controls on ecosystem properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Italian economy has been battered by the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. European Union and Italian government economic recovery funds will provide special economic recovery loans aimed toward energy saving and the consequent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals. In, Italy, millions of square meters of asbestos cement (AC) roofing cover industrial and civic buildings. Removal of this asbestos containing material (ACM) would contribute to three pandemic and economic recovery objectives: job creation, reduction of greenhouse gasses (thru energy savings), and public health improvements. Though asbestos was used for its excellent thermal insulation properties, we provide calculations that demonstrate that the cement binding in AC roofing negates the asbestos insulation function. Therefore, replacing AC roofing with roofs made with alternative materials with better thermal transmission coefficients can contribute significantly to energy savings, reduce the risk of asbestos-related morbidity and mortality, and establish substantial economic activity.