Pieve Vergonte: an industrial regeneration project advancing step by step

As part of a comprehensive plan for the redevelopment and safety enhancement of the industrial area — acquired by Esseco Industrial in 2019 following a ministerial crisis table — Altair Chemical has, in recent years, launched a structural intervention to address deteriorated and non-operational buildings within the site.

The operation began with the conversion of the mercury-based electrolysis unit into a next-generation, environmentally compatible plant using membrane cell technology. It then extended to other historical but now decommissioned facilities, such as the Chlorobenzene plant, which was dismantled between late 2023 and early 2024.

The most recent intervention involved one of the most complex buildings in terms of size and structural criticality: the former Carbon Tetrachloride plant, which had been inactive since the 1990s.

After being remediated between 2022 and 2023, the multi-storey reinforced concrete structure — over 23 meters tall and in a state of decay for decades — was completely demolished in July 2025. The operation included:

• The remediation of various asbestos-containing materials;
• The removal of approximately 500 tons of rubble;
• The disposal of over 60 tons of iron and steel.

This was a necessary step to enhance the overall safety of the area, restore urban decorum, and free up space that can now be repurposed and developed as part of the site’s future growth.

The cycle of remediation and demolition continues, with the goal of resolving the environmental and structural issues inherited from the past and contributing to the industrial and environmental regeneration not only of the production site but also of the surrounding community.