Environmental status of an Italian site highly polluted by illegal dumping of industrial wastes: The situation 15 years after the judicial intervention

In 2008 the Italian government classified Bussi sul Tirino area (Central Italy) as Site of National Interest destined to remediation which, unfortunately, has not yet begun. The decision followed >20 years illegal dumping industrial wastes, lasting from 1984 2005, that generated biggest toxic waste disposal site in Europe. contamination profile was mainly characterized by PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PAHs, chlorinated solvents, Hg, and Pb. Due health concern population local authorities, an extensive monitoring biomonitoring campaign carried out 2017–2018, checking site-specific pollutants food (free-range hens' eggs, milk grazing sheep goats, wild edible mushrooms, drinking water), environmental (air freshwaters) biological (human urine) matrices. A total 314 samples were processed, obtaining 3217 analytical data compared with regulatory limits, when available, values reported international literature. sum PCDD/Fs DL-PCBs ranged 0.24 3.6 pg TEQ g−1 fat, 0.46 8.3 respectively line maximum levels established CE Regulations except for egg sample. As regards all our results lower than literature data, well Hg Outdoor air showed solvents ranging <LOD 36 μg m−3, freshwaters 0.21 2.8 L−1. All water resulted compliant current EU directive. Despite severe pollution out, environment living surroundings seem be affected significant exposure toxics characterizing landfill.