by InTrieste
Regional councilor for environment, Fabio Scoccimarro said the Friuli Venezia Giulia region plans to complete the mapping of asbestos-contaminated sites by the end of 2027, using a continuously updated digital database that tracks both identified locations and publicly funded remediation projects.
Speaking at a press conference in Trieste on Thursday, Scoccimarro outlined the region’s asbestos-related initiatives carried out between 2023 and 2025, describing Friuli Venezia Giulia as a national leader in asbestos mapping, removal and public incentives for cleanup efforts.
According to regional officials, most of the area’s larger municipalities have already been mapped, along with roughly 26,000 buildings containing asbestos materials.
In July 2024, the region updated its asbestos management plan to align regulations and operations with newer standards. At the same time, it launched “Progetto Amianto,” allocating €103,000 to the regional environmental agency Arpa FVG to strengthen technical support for municipalities and expand the regional asbestos archive, which now lists nearly 26,500 asbestos-containing structures.
The region has also invested €750,000 over three years, in collaboration with the technology company Insiel, to develop hyperspectral image analysis using neural networks. Officials said artificial intelligence and drone technology have already been used to map 30 municipalities, with five additional municipalities participating in a pilot phase.
Data collected through the project has been integrated into the region’s georeferenced platform and shared with Italy’s Environment Ministry, firefighters and civil protection authorities. Scoccimarro said the mapping system also proved useful following severe storms in July 2023, helping authorities safely manage asbestos-containing debris in affected areas.
The regional government also announced continued financial support for asbestos removal projects. For 2026, officials initially allocated more than €4 million, with an additional €3.5 million still available for new applications. The region has already received 188 requests in the first months of the year.
From 2017 through 2025, nearly 7,000 applications for asbestos remediation funding were submitted, with 5,815 projects approved for a total of more than €27.7 million in regional contributions.
“This is not only about numbers,” Scoccimarro said. “Behind them are homes, families and businesses.”
