"Around the River" examines the socio-economic-environmental crisis
that is gripping the Sacco river Valley, near Rome in Italy.
An uncontrolled industrial development and lack of environmental
policies have generated an overload of pollutants that contaminate the
Sacco river and the neighbouring lands, creating problems throughout
the food chain.
Along the 80 km of the river, hundreds of hectares of land are banned
for cultivation, several pollutants were detected including beta-HCH, a
by-product of Lindane, a carcinogenic insecticide produced by local
industries in the past. This substance in 2005 has caused the killing of
some 6,000 head of cattle and its presence was also confirmed in the
blood of the inhabitants.
The purpose of these images is to describe the state of isolation and
the sense of abandonment felt by the inhabitants, but also their spirit
of sacrifice and the strong relationship established with their own land,
for years disputed between industry and agriculture.
