Diesel Spill Occurs in Milan Canal, Italy

A diesel spill occurred at a sewage bypass in Magenta, in Italy’s Lombardy region, causing a large amount of hydrocarbon contamination to flow into the Pavesese Canal. An oil slick stretched 28 kilometers downstream along the waterway, gradually approaching the waters on the outskirts of Milan. Following the spill, a distinct dark sheen appeared on the river’s surface. The diesel formed a persistent film on the water, blocking the exchange of oxygen between the water and the air and causing a drop in dissolved oxygen levels in the river. At the same time, some of the oil adhered to vegetation along the banks, rocks, and the riverbed sediment as the water flowed, resulting in ongoing secondary pollution.