The removal of waste bales in the Gulf of Follonica 2020

On July 22, 2020, a six-month state of emergency was declared in response to the critical environmental situation caused by the dispersion of waste bales in the Gulf of Follonica, which had occurred five years earlier following the accident involving the motor vessel Ivy. A total of 56 bales were reported lost. The cleanup operation, which began on August 6, led to the recovery of 15 bales from the seabed; combined with the 17 that had washed ashore or been accidentally recovered by fishermen over the years, this brought the total to 32.

The Head of the Civil Protection Department coordinated the response efforts. In carrying out these activities, he relied not only on the Department but also on the operational units and structures of the National Service. Ordinance No. 685 designated the Ministry of Defense—Navy, the Port System Authority of the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Region of Tuscany as the implementing entities. The Ministry of the Environment, ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), and ARPAT (Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Tuscany) were responsible for environmental control and monitoring. To support the operations, the COA (Advanced Operations Centre) was established in the port area of Piombino.