Meghan Hodges
Venice, a city built around a network of canals, is facing a significant pollution problem. With over 25 million tourists visiting annually, the city's waterways are usually congested with thousands of boats, contributing to both air and water pollution. In particular, the diesel-powered commuter boats or water buses, known as vaporetti, have been identified as a major source of carbon emissions. Additionally, the chemical plants in the Porto Marghera industrial area have been linked to water contamination, with studies revealing the presence of heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls in the lagoon bed.
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What You'll Learn
Pollution from boat traffic
Venice's canals are contaminated with a mix of dioxins from urban waste and hydrocarbons from boat engine emissions. The city's waterways are usually plied by thousands of boats, including diesel-powered commuter boats or water buses known as vaporetti, which ferry the 25 million tourists that visit annually, as well as food, hotel laundry, and goods. These boats emit tonnes of carbon and greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change and air pollution.
In addition to engine emissions, motorboat traffic also causes the resuspension of sediment within the canals, creating a murky, contaminated mix when combined with the dioxins and engine emissions. Furthermore, the amount of energy released by each boat into the canal increases exponentially as boat speed increases, leading to wake pollution. Different types of boats produce varying levels of wake pollution, and the type of engine can also make a difference. For example, hybrid and electric engines produce no waves while idling, unlike traditional gas engines.
The Venetian lagoon, the largest wetland in the Mediterranean, has also become a dumping ground for discarded boats, with an estimated 2,000 abandoned vessels scattering over an area of about 55,000 hectares (135,900 acres). These wrecks release fibreglass, microplastics, and other pollutants into the water, damaging the ecosystem and further exacerbating the pollution problem in Venice.
While there have been efforts to address the pollution caused by boat traffic, such as the development of a hydrogen-powered vaporetto, bureaucratic delays and legal restrictions on alternative fuel sources have hindered progress. Nonetheless, the city's ban on large cruise ships in 2021 has led to a significant decrease in air pollutants, demonstrating that tackling boat-related pollution is possible through regulatory measures.
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Chemical plants in Porto Marghera
Venice is considered one of the world's most magical places, with its intricate canals and waterways setting it apart from any other city in the world. However, the city is also choking on its own pollution. One major source of pollution in Venice is the waste from the chemical plants in the Porto Marghera industrial area.
Porto Marghera, located in Venice, is home to several chemical plants and industrial facilities. Over the years, these plants have contributed significantly to the pollution of Venice's canals and the surrounding environment. The chemical plants in Porto Marghera have been a source of concern for locals and environmentalists due to their impact on the fragile Venetian ecosystem.
One of the notable companies operating in Porto Marghera is Solvay Specialty Polymers, an advanced materials and specialty chemicals company. In 2018, Solvay announced the sale of its plant in Porto Marghera, demonstrating a shift in focus or a response to environmental concerns. The site has a long history of chemical production, with a variety of companies operating within its boundaries.
Another major contributor to pollution in Porto Marghera is the Eni-NextChem joint venture. This partnership has resulted in the construction of a circular hydrogen production plant, which aims to produce hydrogen from waste. While hydrogen is touted as a clean energy source, critics argue that the majority of hydrogen production today relies on fossil fuels, undermining its environmental benefits. Nonetheless, the Eni-NextChem project also includes waste-to-methanol production, contributing to decarbonization and recycling targets.
The impact of the chemical plants in Porto Marghera has led to efforts to reduce pollution in Venice. One notable example is the development of a hydrogen-powered vaporetto by the water bus company Alilaguna. However, bureaucracy and the slow adoption of new technology have hindered the implementation of this potential solution to Venice's pollution problem. Overall, the chemical plants in Porto Marghera have played a significant role in polluting Venice, and addressing this issue is crucial for the city's environmental health and sustainability.
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Diesel-powered commuter boats
Venice's intricate canals and waterways are what set it apart from other cities in the world. However, the Italian city's waterways are usually plied by thousands of boats, including hundreds of diesel-powered commuter boats or water buses known as vaporetti. These boats zigzag through the city's canals, ferrying the 25 million tourists that visit annually, as well as food, hotel laundry, and goods.
The vaporetti emit tonnes of carbon as they zip to and from the Italian mainland. A report from the European Parliament in February 2019 described the levels of both air and water pollution in Venice as "worrying", blaming unregulated boats with diesel marine engines. The pollution from boat traffic, along with waste from the chemical plants in the Porto Marghera industrial area, has made the canals' water unsafe for swimming.
In 2010, Alilaguna, the water bus company that runs Venice's vaporetti, developed the Hepic, an alternative vaporetto powered by hydrogen instead of diesel. Hydrogen is a fuel that emits only water vapour when burnt and none of the carbon or greenhouse gases that cause pollution and climate change. However, delays in getting the Hepic approved to sail mean that the technology remains untested.
Critics argue that adapting existing pipelines to carry hydrogen instead of natural gas is an expensive process. They also point out that most hydrogen being produced today is made from fossil fuels, effectively cancelling out its environmental benefits. However, some companies have experimented with injecting small amounts of hydrogen into Italy's gas network, mixing it with natural gas, to showcase its potential and convince the public of its safety.
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Air pollution
Venice, a city built around a network of canals, is facing significant air pollution challenges. The city's intricate waterways, which cover more than 150 canals, are usually crowded with thousands of tourist boats and commuter vessels, contributing to the air pollution issue.
One of the major sources of air pollution in Venice is the hundreds of diesel-powered vaporetti, or water buses, that transport tourists, goods, and locals through the canals. These boats emit large quantities of carbon and other pollutants as they navigate the city. The European Parliament report from February 2019 described the levels of air pollution in Venice as "worrying," specifically calling out unregulated boats with diesel marine engines.
The impact of air pollution in Venice extends beyond the atmospheric conditions. The excavation of the lagoon bed, particularly in the Vittorio Emanuele III canal, has released heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These contaminants have significantly altered the quality of living organisms in the lagoon, as evidenced by a study on the Philippine clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. The study found that exposure to sediments with high concentrations of pollutants led to significant alterations in the expression of molecular mechanisms underlying toxicity.
Additionally, the Porto Marghera industrial area has been identified as a significant source of pollution, with chemical plants impacting the surrounding lagoon waters. The recent approval of the "new sludge protocol" in May 2023 will likely lead to the excavation and redistribution of polluted sludge within the lagoon, raising concerns about further contamination.
However, there are efforts to address the air pollution issue in Venice. Some have proposed the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for vaporetti, which would emit only water vapour and significantly reduce carbon emissions. While this technology has faced delays and challenges, it represents a potential solution to Venice's environmental problems.
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Contaminated sediments
Venice's intricate canals and waterways are a network that sets it apart from any other city in the world. However, the city is choking on its own pollution. The water in Venice's canals is famously congested and polluted, with waste from chemical plants in the Porto Marghera industrial area and pollution from boat traffic. The recent approval of the "new sludge protocol" has brought attention to the complex mixtures of chemical contaminants present in the lagoon sediments and their potential effects on animal species residing in the lagoons and coastal areas.
The Vittorio Emanuele III canal, which connects Marghera to Venice, has been the subject of a recent study investigating the impact of contaminated sediments on the Philippine clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. The study found that organisms exposed to sediments with pollutant concentrations up to 120 times higher than in control areas experienced significant alterations in their biological processes. This study highlights the potential dangers of redistributing polluting sludge within the lagoon during excavation activities.
The pollution in Venice's canals is attributed to various factors, including waste from chemical plants and boat traffic. The Porto Marghera area, in particular, has been identified as a source of pollution, with its industrial activities releasing residues and pollutants into the surrounding waterways. The recent study on the Vittorio Emanuele III canal underscores the potential ecological impact of contaminated sediments in Venice's waterways.
The excavation of the lagoon bed has released heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which can significantly modify the quality of living organisms. The "new sludge protocol" aims to address the management of contaminated sediments and the potential redistribution of excavated sludge within the lagoon or on designated sludge transfer islands. However, the deadline for completing the dredging by 2026 adds time constraints to the complex environmental challenges faced by the city.
The pollution in Venice's canals has been a long-standing issue, and efforts to mitigate it have been ongoing. The recent COVID-19 lockdown provided a brief respite, with the absence of tourist boats resulting in cleaner waterways. Additionally, proposals for alternative fuel sources, such as hydrogen-powered vaporetti, have been suggested to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. However, the fate of these initiatives remains uncertain, and Venice continues to grapple with the environmental challenges posed by its unique aquatic infrastructure.
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Frequently asked questions
Venice is a city built around a network of canals. The mass tourism and boat traffic have made the canals congested and polluted. The boats that ferry the 25 million tourists that visit annually are mostly diesel-powered vaporetti, which emit tonnes of carbon.
A report from the European Parliament in February 2019 described the levels of both air and water pollution in Venice as "worrying". The pollution has also impacted the quality of living organisms in the area.
There have been efforts to introduce alternative forms of energy, such as hydrogen, to power boats and reduce carbon emissions. However, the adoption of these alternatives has been slow and faced challenges.
In addition to boat traffic, the chemical plants in the Porto Marghera industrial area have been identified as a significant source of pollution, with residues from industrial activities impacting the waterways.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the canals of Venice were free of tourist boats, and the water quality improved significantly. This provided a glimpse of what can be achieved with reduced boat traffic and mass tourism.
