Milan Court of Appeal orders 90‑day shutdown of ex Ilva hot area in Taranto
The Milan Court of Appeal’s specialised commercial division ordered the suspension of production in the hot‑area of the ex Ilva steel plant in Taranto within 90 days because asbestos remains in the installations and fine‑dust emissions exceed legal limits. The decree applies to Ilva, Acciaierie d’Italia and Acciaierie d’Italia Holding, all under extraordinary administration. Judges noted that more than 6,780 kg of asbestos have already been removed but that over 2,000 kg still remain, chiefly in the cowper units, and that the emissions are linked to a four‑fold higher incidence of malignant pleural tumours (mesothelioma) in the local population.
The decision has triggered an intense political and industrial response. The government confirmed a further €100 million loan tranche to keep the plant operating and is setting up a technical table at the Ministry of Economic Development (Mimit) involving trade unions, the Puglia region and local authorities to draft an “extraordinary plan” for employment and environmental remediation. Trade unions have announced an eight‑hour strike across all Ilva sites and warned that the court order threatens the pending sale of the plant to a private investor, potentially reshaping Italy’s steel sector.
Environmental groups, industry bodies and local politicians have called for an inter‑ministerial table to address health risks, employment and the future of the strategic steel complex.
Entities: Acciaierie d’Italia · Court of Appeal of Milan · Ex Ilva (Taranto steel plant) · Ex Ilva steel plant (Taranto) · Federmeccanica · Giancarlo Giorgetti · Ilva (Ilva spa) · Ilva (ex Ilva steel plant) · Italian Government · Jindal Steel · Marianna Galioto · Milan Court of Appeal
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The plant’s emissions are linked to a four‑fold higher incidence of malignant pleural tumours (mesothelioma) in Taranto and Statte. (health_impact)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The previous deadline of 23 August 2026 for asbestos removal has been revoked, and no further extensions are allowed. (Ilva steel plant)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Ilva, Acciaierie d’Italia and Acciaierie d’Italia Holding are under extraordinary administration. (administration)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Production may resume only after complete asbestos removal and when dust emissions are reduced to legal limits, referencing an authorized production scenario of 6 million tonnes per year. (Ilva steel plant)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Milan Court of Appeal ordered the hot area of the ex Ilva plant in Taranto to be closed within 90 days because asbestos and fine dust exceed legal limits. (court order)
- [● 6 SOURCES] More than 2,000 kilograms of asbestos remain in the plant’s cowper units after 6,780 kilograms have already been removed. (remaining asbestos)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The court decision overturns the conditions of the pending sale of the plant to a private investor, changing the terms of the transaction. (sale impact)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The order requires complete removal of any remaining asbestos from the plant’s installations and measures to reduce fine‑dust emissions to safety limits. (court directive)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Italian government confirmed an additional €100 million loan tranche to support the plant’s operational continuity. (government_finance)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Milan Court of Appeal ordered the suspension of production in the hot area of the ex‑Ilva plant in Taranto within 90 days because of asbestos and fine‑dust emissions above legal limits. (Ilva steel plant)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Milan Court of Appeal ordered the suspension of production in the hot area of the ex Ilva plant in Taranto within 90 days. (court order)
- [● 2 SOURCES] More than 6,780 kg of asbestos have already been removed from the plant. (remediation progress)