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I.P.C.A.
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This old chemical plant is better know as "the factory of cancer". It was founded in 1922 by two brothers who intended to begin to produce synthetic dyes, in particular from Aniline and Benzidine. I.P.C.A. means, in fact, Industria Piemontese Coloranti Anilina ("Piedmont Aniline Dyes Industry"). Until 1972 no one knew about unsafe working conditions inside. In this year, two former workers affected by bladder cancer decided to accuse the company. After a few years, in 1977, heads of the company were charged of manslaughter. The factory slowly were closed in 1982, but not all! The newest part, built in the 40s-50s, continued to work under a different name, producing chemical paints and solvents, until the mid 90s.
This place, today, is certainly a museum. Every machinery is still there, and not common machineries as you can see. Walking around halls and rooms, you can imagine the working conditions there, which caused death to 168 workers and various disfunctions to other hundreds.
The picture shows a little corner of the building 18/B, a huge 5-storey building (cast iron structure and wooden floors) completely fulfilled with these wooden tanks linked together floor-by-floor with plastic pipes.
Finally, one happy ending: there is a project that intend to preserve the entire complex as museum and memorial, and I would like to see this realized.
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