Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Milan, July 5 2019 – The electrical and electronic waste treatment plant built in the Bollate prison was presented today, in the presence of the deputy director of the Milan Bollate prison Cosima Buccoliero, the director of the Superintendency for the Lombardy Region of the Penitentiary Administration Pietro Buffa, of the CEO of A2a Valerio Camerano, of the Environment and Climate councilor of the Lombardy Region Raffaelle Cattaneo and of the Mobility and Environment councilor of the Municipality of Milan Marco Granelli. The leaders of Syndial, ENI's environmental company, also participated in the presentation.

The initiative responds to the need to promote the socio-work inclusion of people in difficulty. Start-up activities began in April 2018 for the facility which currently employs 5 inmates, with the aim of increasing the number of people involved in the project in the near future. The plant occupies an area of ​​approximately 3.000 m3.000 and is authorized to treat 2 tons of electronic waste per year, and is also equipped with a photovoltaic system for the self-production of green energy. Waste treatment is carried out on two dismantling lines, the first dedicated to TVs, monitors and large household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers (type of WEEE R3 and R4), the other for small household appliances (type RXNUMX) such as mobile phones, personal computers and peripherals, audio and video equipment, electric tools and toys. Thanks to the dismantling activities carried out by the workers employed, it is possible to recover ferrous and non-ferrous metals (copper, brass, bronze, tin), types of plastic polymers, rubber, as well as electronic components such as cards, hard disks, processors and power supplies.

“The electrical and electronic waste treatment plant enriches the Bollate prison with a further opportunity to get back into the game through work. It is also a virtuous project that combines attention to the environment with the third sector, demonstrating how a fruitful collaboration between public and private can, as the ultimate goal, lead to social inclusion with a view to true sustainability – states Cosima Buccoliero , deputy director of the Milan Bollate prison.

“The system presented today at the Bollate prison, in addition to its contribution in terms of the circular economy, represents an example of inclusion and an opportunity for professional development for the people involved in the project: for this reason the human component of the work wants to be adequately valued with respect to the automation of the process – declares Valerio Camerano, CEO of the Group –. This project is one of the many pieces that make up our 'A2a model' for the circular economy: a system based on the integrated management of the entire environmental chain, from collection to treatment, and which requires that all waste be sent for recovery matter or energy, thus avoiding the use of landfill".

“We have reached and exceeded the goal of 60% separate waste collection – declares Environment Councilor Marco Granelli –. We have an efficient and quality service with some elements of excellence, such as waste collection throughout the city. This plant for the valorization of WEEE in the prison is another service that makes me proud. I know well that we still need to improve and my commitment, together with AMSA, is daily and constant to solve problems and contribute to the well-being of citizens in the neighborhoods of Milan".