ROME, Feb 14 (Reuters) - An Italian court has authorised the sale of 800 million euros ($1.07 billion) worth of steel seized from the IlVA steel plant in southern Italy during a probe into environmental damage caused by the factory, judicial sources said on Thursday.

Prosecutors investigating ILVA had requested the release of the steel because it risked deteriorating below sale quality.

The products were confiscated last year in a move which ILVA said threatened the future of Italy's biggest steel plant as well as a chain of others. In January, judges had rejected a bid by ILVA to reclaim the seized steel products. ($1 = 0.7442 euros)

(Reporting By Catherine Hornby) Keywords: ILVA COURT/

(catherine.hornby@thomsonreuters.com)(+ 39 0685 224 394)(Reuters Messaging: catherine.hornby.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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