Close to the town of Gela (Sicily, Italy) a petrochemical site is operating since 1962. A power station, chemical plants and an oil refiney plant incleded. In 1990 a large area around the site was declared " at high risk of environmental cirsis" in 2000 a subarea was designated " Reclamation Site of National Inerest" Extremely high concentrations of hazardous chemicals have been measured in soil, surface and groundwater, in marine water and sediments. Mortality, hospital discharges and birth defects were reported higher than neighbouring areas and other references
