The collapse of a building in Bari raised fears about the possible dispersion of asbestos fibers. Arpa Puglia has excluded immediate risks, but an independent expert report detected suspicious traces. Between uncertainties and security measures, the doubt about the real exposure of the population remains
ARPA PUGLIA He confirmed the absence of asbestos fibers both in the aerodisperse powders and in the air surrounding the building collapsed on March 5, 2025. The Municipality of Bari said it in an official note. The Regional Agency for Prevention and Environmental Protection has also certified that the dangerous material is not present even in the dust deposited on a balcony of a private home, on the square and on the cornice of a window of the former Carlo del Prete school. The building, now home to the Town Hall II, stands next to the collapse area.
However, the note continues, a small fragment of asbestos cement was found in the courtyard of the former school. The municipal administration then entrusted to a specialized company the task of carrying out the reclamation operations, following the directives provided by Arpa Puglia.
Divergent results between the analysis of the ARPA and the University
A new withdrawal has made itself necessary after an expertise conducted in recent days from Department of Earth Sciences and Geo -Environments of the University of Bari. The assessment, requested by the residents of a nearby property, would have detected the presence of “Numerous asbestos fibers, in particular Crisotilo”beyond “Numerous glass fibers”. In response, Arpa Puglia specified that “The report does not come from a laboratory included in the list of laboratories qualified by the Ministry of Health”.
The collapse took place on March 5. According to the first investigations, the building, already declared unusable for structural injuries, had been dotted and cleared on February 24, 2024 on the municipal ordinance. Inside, however, an elderly lady still lived, saved by the firefighters after remaining under the rubble. The implosion would have occurred due to the failure of a central pillar.
In more, to guarantee the protection of public health, the mayor Vito Leccese had already signed an order on March 12th. The measure imposed the ban on appearing from the windows, the obligation to keep them closed and the use of masks in the external areas adjacent to the building, up to new official communication.
Doubts about the consequences of a possible but not concrete exposure to asbestos
However, a question remains: if the dense cloud of dust raised by the collapse had dispersed asbestos fibershow could the neighborhood be sure of not being exposed to risks? Asbestosto-corporate pathologies have extremely long latency times, varying from thirty to fifty years.
Qualified sources affirm that, beyond the divergent results between the analysis of the ARPA and the University, the procedure adopted is correct. In addition, those responsible for the remediation of the area would have respected the legal protocol.
The possibility that someone, within a radius of 500 meters from the collapse, has inhaled some asbestos fibers cannot be fully excluded. However, it is a difficult event to materialize. What measures can be adopted? At the moment, none, since there is no preventive assessment for exposure to asbestos.
«This story – says theAvv. Ezio Bonannipresident of theNational Asbestos Observatory – He demonstrates how primary prevention is fundamental. Then to predict and remove any risk and therefore exposure to asbestos to protect health. This is why the Oona plays a central role, fundamental, now and for the future ».