Lipari: Soprintendenza assessing restrictions on pumice extraction area

Last Updated: May 21, 2025

Lipari, la Soprintendenza sta valutando il vincolo sull’area estrattiva della pietra pomice

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The Superintendence is evaluating placing a constraint on the pumice stone extraction area to safeguard the historic extraction area on the slopes of Mount Pilato in Lipari. The Superintendence for Cultural and Environmental Heritage of Messina responded to the ecological association Giuridico Gruppo d’Intervento’s request to start the procedure for declaring cultural interest for the protection of the pumice stone extraction area and announced that they are currently evaluating the proposition of placing a cultural constraint on the entire mountain.

“Currently,” says President Stefano Deliperi. “the ancient industrial building is constrained, with related conservation obligations, ideal location for the Lipari Regional Pumice Museum unfortunately still unimplemented. With the ecological request, also the president of the Region, the regional department, the Superintendence, and, for the relevant aspects, the Ministry of Culture have been involved.”

After many controversies and requests from national associations, a response from the Mt Project company, managed by the Eolian engineer Fausto Mandarano, has arrived. “There is no intention to sell the history of the Aeolian Islands – he emphasizes – to implement only a touristic project. No intent to change the state of the places through speculative interventions. Rather the opposite. On the news that has emerged so far about the idea of buying the former Pumex real estate complex, a debate has developed that risks leading to considerations that do not correspond to reality, resulting in the continuous deterioration and degradation of this area, which is very important for the island of Lipari and also for all the Aeolian Islands. Degradation that is offensive to public safety, to landscape and ethno-anthropological interest, as well as to the historical memory of this area of the island. Those who know Lipari well know that the site has been abandoned for over 20 years and all this is there, visible, evident to all.”