Description
Beneath the Vines is an investigative journalism project that combines scientific analysis and field reporting for the first time to explore the environmental and health consequences of a long-forgotten industrial contamination in the heart of an agricultural area known for its high production value and symbolic significance, renowned for the quality of its products and international exports.
Through environmental sampling, laboratory analyses, and scientific modeling conducted in collaboration with two research centers, the project aims to investigate the presence of persistent pollutants in agricultural soils, crops, and finished products, focusing on contaminants for which there are currently no regulatory limits or controls.
The investigation is based on field reporting, access to environmental documentation, and interviews with experts, farmers, and institutions. Its goal is to reveal potential regulatory and transparency gaps, with implications that go beyond the local case and raise crucial questions about food safety, public health, and institutional accountability at both European and global levels.
To ensure the protection of sources and the successful completion of the investigation, the most sensitive details will only be made public at a later stage.
“It’s a great occasion to pursue investigations that are impossible for journalists to carry out alone.”
Project Team
Media outlet
Research organisation
University of Insubria, Mario Negri Insitute
Varese, Italy
https://www.uninsubria.it/
