Green chemistry does not take off in Sardinia

The season of heavy chemistry is over. And that of green chemistry, however, is struggling to take off. Because, despite the plans and investments for the Porto Torres pole in north-west Sardinia, the so-called third phase of the industrial area reconversion project is struggling to get off the ground. That is why trade unions but also the region are urging 'rapid' answers from the government.

At the heart of the game is the revival of the pole that twenty years ago had about three thousand workers, including direct employees and those in the allied industries, and that since 2008, with the closure of the cumene and phenol plants, triggered the process of shutting down the old chemical system. Closure continued with the shutdown of the aromatics and cracking plants. 'Over the years everything came to a halt,' reconstructs Gianfranco Murtinu, Filctem secretary of Sassari, 'and in the meantime Matrica was born and operates two plants. The turning point with respect to the past was the signing of the Green Chemistry Protocol on 26 May 2011 at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. An act that was supposed to start the reconversion of the historic industrial pole with an injection of investment for 730 million and a package of hirings. 'At the time of the petrochemical plant there were thousands of people,' he argues, 'with green chemistry we aimed and still aim for at least 800 direct employees. That project, however, has yet to be completed because the so-called third phase is missing'. Which, as the trade unionist explains, 'envisages the transformation of the plants from small to industrial scale'.

The agricultural supply chain project 'connected to the cultivation of thistle, which has proved to be unsuitable in terms of quantity and quality of oil extracted' has also disappeared. "Well, those resources, and we are talking about 230 million euro, could be used for something else, such as implementing research or other initiatives,' adds the trade unionist. Several knots remain to be unravelled in this process. One above all, that of the so-called cabina di regia. "It had been set up at ministerial level, but very little work has been done on it, and that is why we have decided to relaunch the dispute," says the trade unionist. Problems and demands that the unions have also presented to the new regional administrators. 'This is a fundamental sector for the whole of Sardinia,' emphasises Industry Councillor Emanuele Cani, 'which is why we believe it is necessary to call the government and those who manage the sector to account. It is absolutely incomprehensible that so much time has been lost. We have already activated the necessary interlocutions with the government so that a round table can be convened as soon as possible to follow up on the agreements established'.