Pollution of the Tiber: How it's been reduced to a boat graveyard

POLLUTION OF THE TIBER

Pollution in the Tiber, the river that flows through Rome, is widespread. From the lack of oxygen in the water to the excess nutrients caused by runoff from cultivated land, to the extremely high bacterial count due to the ubiquitous presence of feces. But there's also another form of river pollution: the wreckage of boats that crowd it. The Tiber is a snapshot of Rome of today. A crossroads of degradation, abandonment, corruption, sick bureaucracy. And a lot of waste. First of all thesenseless administrative machine which is responsible for managing the activities and taking care of the maintenance of the river. Sono 18 in fact the entities that have a say in the matterFrom the Lazio Region, which has jurisdiction over the banks, to the River Basin Authority, which manages the watercourse, to the Land Protection Agency (Ardis), which must request building permits, and the Port Authority, which has authority over flood management and barges. And with what result? "The river sacred to the destiny of Rome" has been reduced to a graveyard of sunken boats. To get an idea of ​​the disastrous situation of the river, just think that up to now the wrecks of as many as twenty boats have been surveyed, of varying lengths, appearing like stations along the route. Fishing boats, fishing boats, sailboats, and even a fifty-meter mini-ship.

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DAMAGE CAUSED BY ABANDONED BOATS IN THE TIBER

The damage caused by this incredible environmental disaster is extensive. First of all, there is the risk of pollution, as the wrecks leak oil, fuel, paint and lead.. And it all ends up dirtying the river. Then there is a hydrogeological risk: in case of river flooding, boats could become barriers that block the backflow of water, or they could be released by the waves and sweep away anything in their path. Another danger is for the shipbuilding and nautical industries in the area, which risk being damaged by the boats. Finally, the wrecks disfigure the place and make it a sort of postcard of Roman decay.

THE DEGRADATION DOCUMENTED BY DAVID DI BIANCO

«Yet a minimum of institutional collaboration would be enough, between local administrations, the government and the Ministry of the Environment to intervene in a concrete and effective way» explains David Di Bianco, delegate for the shipbuilding industry of the municipality of Fiumicino. Di Bianco did a tremendous job as a volunteer. He listed the twenty boats found. (but there could be many more), one by one, locating them and photographing them in detail. He then examined and classified the conditions of degradation. After the census, he asked Fiumicino Mayor Esterino Montino to initiate a discussion among the various entities involved in the issue. But so far, nothing has been decided.Yet questions about the wrecks in the Tiber are being raised at Fiumicino, the government, and the regional government. There's a bill to create a National River Basin Authority (but is it necessary?). In the buck-passing game (who should intervene?), however, the two most important things are missing: a plan for waste removal and disposal, and someone who will implement it.

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