Italy’s Infamous White Beach Will Be Chemical-Waste Free – by 2050

A chemical plant has vowed to stop pumping waste into the sea off a pristine white beach after years of campaigning by local and international groups.

The beach in Tuscany, which was turned white by limestone waste being discharged into the water, is a popular spot for holiday-makers and is famous on Instagram. 

VICE World News went to report on the plant earlier this summer, to see how it was affecting the local environment. 

We found that a study into whether local pollutants were affecting the health of the nearby population was still waiting for funding from the local government, who declined to respond to VICE World News’ questions at the time.

A previous study found a significant excess in mortality for chronic diseases, the presence of pollutants across air and sea, and a theoretical link between these pollutants and chronic diseases in people who live near the plant – in addition to concerns from zoologists that the discharge has destroyed marine life.

Now, the Belgian chemicals group Solvay has said it plans to stop all limestone waste discharging from its soda ash plant in Rosignano, Italy, after a UN report criticised inaction to tackle the problem which it said was “profoundly” affecting people’s health. 

Solvay has said it will invest €15 million ($15 million, £13 million) to reduce limestone residue and carbon emissions. By 2030, its discharges into the sea will be cut by 20 percent compared to what regulators currently allow, and by 2040, it will drop by 40 percent.

By 2050, it says the plant will completely stop discharging into the sea. 

Activist investment group Bluebell Capital Partners in London, along with local politicians and environmentalists, has put pressure on the company for years to stop discharging waste, which contains metals such as lead and arsenic. 

Local representative Francesco Berti took the issue to the European Union, which prompted a United Nations rapporteur visiting the site late in 2021. “Solvay has been in the Livorno area since 1913. 109 years later (!) we are happy to announce that thing[s] will change,” he said on a LinkedIn post in response to the announcement. 

“We will continue to work so that the covenants are respected and that the cleanup is complete: lawyers, activists, economists and health professionals are in this battle.”

A few days prior to this announcement, Berti received the report into the disposal of hazardous substances and waste in Italy from the United Nations. 

In the report, which was shared with VICE World News, the UN rapporteur says “the government must better acknowledge and take responsibility for its decisions, actions and inaction regarding the toxic pollution that is profoundly affecting the health of its communities,” adding “this also includes Solvay’s operations in Livorno, where for decades, hundreds of tones of heavy metals have been discharged into the sea.

“In these and other instances of unsound management of polluting activities, Italy should uphold the right to a healthy environment and take action to provide access to remedy and fulfil the polluter pays principle.”

In their statement announcing the news, Solvay describes its decision to stop discharging waste as part of a “new action plan” in which the factory will become carbon neutral. 

“We are committed to constantly improving the sustainability of our processes and focused on ensuring that our Rosignano facility will continue to play an important role in providing essential materials for society. Our determination to keep raising the bar and our willingness to make additional investments further demonstrates our commitment to continuously improve our operations,” said Philippe Kehren, president of Solvay’s Soda Ash & Derivatives division.