SAN MARINO – The citizens of the Gualdicciolo health committee send an open letter to the Secretaries of State responsible for the installation of the antennas:
Open letter to:
Secretary of State for Territory and Environment
Matteo Ciacci
Secretary of State for Industry
Rossano Fabbri
THEIR OFFICES
In reference to the public evening of 23 October last convened to illustrate to the population of Acquaviva and Gualdicciolo the project for the installation of a mobile telephone antenna, the Gualdicciolo citizens’ group for the defense of health and the environment points out the following.
First of all, we appreciated the opportunity to get information and ask questions about a project that undoubtedly has an impact on the environment and the population. And it is precisely these two aspects that are important to us.
We have received extensive assurances on the low limits of electromagnetic fields and on the checks that UPAV, the competent office, will carry out before installation and during operation, checks that every citizen will be able to request in the future. Here on this topic we find it difficult to blindly trust the promises, because we are already suffering the effect of an exception to the Environmental Code which, in defiance of the law, allows the Ciacci paper mill to continuously emit noise, day and night, beyond the permitted threshold!
With regards to the environment, while there was widespread discussion of the need to increase the signal in the town of Gualdicciolo and the industrial area, no mention was made of the landscape impact and no consideration was made about the place where we would like to place the antenna, a place which already presents considerable critical issues, which unfortunately we experience every day!
Here are these critical issues:
The chosen place is practically the center of the town, where there are all the services and commercial activities of Gualdicciolo;
In the same place there is the Ciacci paper mill, which means continuous noise, stench due to processing residues, emissions into the atmosphere;
The same goes for the atmospheric emissions of Celbo SpA which deals with substances dangerous to health such as styrene;
The same goes for atmospheric emissions of dust from plants that burn Ali Spa wood dust and, even in this case there is an exemption from the regulatory limits!
The data relating to these three companies were provided by UPAV.
Another important aspect to consider: the realistic threat of starting a cogenerator at Cartiera Ciacci which will have its beautiful chimney several meters high and will emit further polluting emissions!
Furthermore, it is worth noting the emissions from vehicular traffic which have increased significantly in this area, as everyone knows;
Finally, we all know that the presence of an antenna causes the depreciation of properties in the area.
In the face of all this we cannot accept adding an antenna of approximately 30 meters in the same, albeit limited, space!!
We absolutely do not want to hinder progress and development, being well aware of the needs associated with digital, but, as with all sectors, these aspects go hand in hand with the rights and needs of citizens.
We have therefore asked, and we strongly reiterate, to verify its location somewhere other than the center of the country. We cannot believe, as some seemed to argue in the meeting, that this is the only place to place the antenna! And we don’t even believe that the concrete platform built about 10 years ago is such a binding investment that it doesn’t allow politicians to make a decision, for once, in favor of the citizens!
We accepted the commitment expressed in the evening by the two Secretaries to review the position of the antenna. We thank them and hope that words will be followed by deeds.
The Gualdicciolo citizens’ group for the defense of health and the environment
