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20150826212345_04
SLOI Trento (Italy) 2015
35mm film scan

SLOI Trento (Società Lavorazioni Organiche Inorganiche)
The plant was built in 1939 and was the biggest factory in Europe producing tetraethyl lead.
The tetraethyl lead was the octane booster added to airplane fuel to increase performance and fuel economy.
The plant was built in northern Italy close to the border with Österreich/Germany to supply the aircrafts of the Italy/Germany allied during WWII.
After the end of WWII the plant went on producing tetraethyl lead for cars leaded fuel.
After a huge fire in 1978 the plant was closed and now this is the only building still in place.
It has been estimated that in the ground there are still 180 tons of tetraethyl lead and there is no experience in the world on how to clean it.
During its life several workers got intoxicated by lead.
Some of them ended their lives in the Pergine’s asylum, treated as mentally ills.