Italy scrambles to respond to ecological disaster...sabotage.

Italy scrambles as oil spill reaches River Po, officials warn of ecological disaster

An oil spill that fouled a small river in northern Italy reached the Po River on Wednesday, with officials warning of an ecological disaster as they scrambled to contain the spill before it contaminated Italy's longest and most important river.

Milan regional officials said the cause of the spill was likely sabotage at a former refinery turned oil depot, since the cisterns were apparently opened and allowed to flow into the Lambro River near Monza.

Environmental groups and the ANSA news agency estimated the amount of oil at 600,000 liters (158,500 gallons), down from initial estimates of some 10 million liters.

The spill began Tuesday and spread south down the Lambro to Piacenza and Cremona overnight, despite efforts to contain it. By Wednesday, it had reached the Po, which crosses the country from Piedmont in the west, across Milan and Verona before emptying into the Adriatic sea.

Environmentalists warned that several water and bird species were at risk from the spill, since the area is rich in bird and other wildlife. But even after the spill is cleaned up the impact will last as the Po river valley is the most important agricultural region in Italy, with the Po used extensively for irrigation, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature noted.

The 130 kilometer (80-mile) Lambro — a tributary to the Po that means "clear" in Latin — had been polluted by years of industrial runoff well before the spill.

So terrible.

[edit on 24-2-2010 by loam]

Sabotage? WHY?

I can't imagine the mentality about the idea of destroying (or at least severely damaging) a waterway that millions depend upon.

If it was done with such an intent, the word "ecoterrorism" comes to mind.

I would accept the term 'sabotage' if it was about some personal grievance with the company, or even some problem with the local community's leadership.

It's akin to being so pissed off that you were fired from a company that you slash all the company's trucks' tires - that's sabotage.... deciding to put anthrax powder in all the soap dispensers in the building is not sabotage... it's way beyond that.

The Lombard regional president, Roberto Formigoni, said those responsible would be prosecuted and punished severely for what his office called an "ecological disaster."

"Some criminal decided to intervene in a harmful and cowardly way, putting at risk an asset that belongs to all of us," the Apcom news agency quoted Formigoni as saying. "It's an act of hatred that will be punished by everyone."

While no arrests have been made, Italian news reports have noted that the depot owner, Lombarda Petroli, had laid off several workers in recent months as it downsized.

Di Simine charged that the company had in the past year managed to get off a list of at-risk industrial plants, which would have required it to keep up safety standards and an emergency contingency plan to deal with a spill.

There was no answer at the company Wednesday.

From the source linked via the OP


Some people have moments of insanely bad temper
when their rage blinds them to the consequences (to others)
of their actions

Anyway, whether 'ecoterrorism' or 'sabotage' -- it's still going to kill wildlife and pollute a major river

Oh come on now! whats a little oil spill. Here in the U.S we have rivers that catch on fire... top that! Seriously It angers me every time something like this happens I say make the oil company's pay and pay also put the people responsible for negligence in prison. I realize we have energy needs and realize we need fuel but events like this should not be part of the price we pay. My heart goes out all who will suffer from this event; Plant, Animal and Human.

Instead of fake global warming pursuits which were desired to make certain groups rich off of such a system, the scientist and Universities and all of the experts involved in so much brain work should have been focusing on the subject matter of "world pollution" instead of "global warming."

Pollution exists and most current global corporations like things the way things are as long as they the polluting corporations never have to be held accountable for their pollution and or contamination of resources used by humans everywhere.

If indeed there are limited resources which I believe there are, then it only makes sense to deal with major polluting corporations in such a manner that makes it clear that wanton pollution will not be allowed. This is where governments should forcibly regulate to such a point that corporations are paying or not paying taxes based on their pollution signature in the world.

Bribes and paybacks must be removed from the process and all acts of corruption dealt with in the most serious manner allowed. We must do business different or else we will end up with the likes of what we now have to deal with. Ineffective and incapable of holding anyone accountable for their pollution crimes is the norm in this day and age. This is something that must be challenged or else we are just hypocrites when it comes to saying they care about the public safety.

With this latest oil spill, just wait and see if some bottle water maker doesn't try to cash in on the public's fear of local water sources. Some greedy water manufacturer will no doubt try to get rich off of the pollution that some other corporation took so they could save money and keep their profits from being influenced by such solutions to pollution prevention.

It is indeed an oxymoron to think that corporations will do what is in the interests of the public, but we have learned that corporations do not like being held accountable or do they like even being investigated for such pollution crimes.

Mix in Eco-terrorism and now we have a new and upcoming social challenge that of course the government already has some solution they would like to pass to prevent such incidents from occurring again in the future.

Overall this is a great posting subject matter. I for one enjoyed reading the many postings. Thanks again.

reply to post by loam


This is another perfect example of how we are living is wrong...

What is sad is that people are so blind that they don't understand that the earth is a living planet and we have no control over how it works...

Yet we decide to build things on it and wonder why the hell everything is going so wrong...

Aww that's the land of my ancestors... This sucks!

How could somebody do this on purpose!!?!?!?!?!??!?!?

Are they insane!?!

Ever been so angry you can't even produce a coherent thought? That's me right now!