Health Hazard Crackdown: Naples Authorities Seize Contaminated Offal Facilities

A joint operation by the Department of Prevention of the Asl Napoli 1 Centro with the support of the Naples Municipal Police - Environmental Group has brought to light an activity that poses a high risk to the health of citizens. The raid, also carried out in the presence of the Army within the 'Safe Streets Operation', took place yesterday (Friday, April 19) in the Poggioreale district, and two facilities dedicated to the production and processing of offal, as well as meat trading, came under the scrutiny of the control staff. The irregularities found are very serious, both in terms of the authorizations required by current environmental legislation and in terms of hygienic conditions. In particular, inspectors from the Asl and the Naples Municipal Police - Environmental Group ordered the immediate closure and seizure of the facility dedicated to the production of cooked offal. Checks also revealed that some premises of the plant were actually owned by the Municipal Administration and were being used abusively based on a concession that had never been renewed over the years. 'Some of the occupied premises used improperly and unlawfully - explains the general director of the Asl Napoli 1 Centro, Ciro Verdoliva - were also lacking any health and hygiene requirements, yet they were used as storage for various materials useful for the production cycle (packaging materials, additives, technological aids)'. These are the reasons that led to the maxi seizure of 8 tons of both raw and already processed offal. The offal was incinerated following the authorization of the competent magistrate. Furthermore, the violations, both in environmental and food matters, were subject to crime reports sent to the Judiciary Authority by the various operating units according to their respective competences. Less serious violations were found in the second facility, also active in the meat supply chain, for which a few days were granted for a possible resolution.