Neptune 2019: the training project for the management of oil pollution emergencies
Three days of training on coastal clean-up in the event of oil spills
Train civil protection volunteers, regional and local authorities' staff to deal with emergencies caused by oil spills along the coast. This is the objective of the Neptune project, now in its third edition, carried out by the Department of Civil Protection and Legambiente, as provided for in the Convention signed by the parties on 20 December 2018.
The risk of the dispersion of hydrocarbons in the sea is quite high in our country given the high number of ships crossing the Mediterranean Sea every day and the danger that can also come from land, due to the intense port and industrial activities on the coast. The risk of an accident caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons at sea and the consequent pollution of waters and coasts can also affect protected marine areas of considerable value and delicacy.
Neptune is based on Legambiente's experience in safeguarding the marine ecosystem and the Department's belief in strengthening the local response to the management of any emergencies in the area.
The Convention between the Department and Legambiente provides for a training course with the realization of four advanced training courses addressed to Civil Protection Voluntary Organizations and five courses addressed to civil protection officers of as many Regions. In May 2019 the first course was held for volunteers members of associations operating mainly at sea (Società nazionale Salvamento-Sns, Federazione Italiana Nuoto-Fin, Federazione Italiana Attività subacquee-Fias, Sweat Water Rescue Team Toscana-Swrtt and Legambiente) while the first course for local government officials was held last June in Sardinia.
From February 18 to 20, the headquarters of the Department will host a new course for national voluntary organizations that will be replicated two times in the next months. In particular, the three-day course - attended by about 50 volunteers - ends on the Roman seafront with an outdoor exercise day to test the organizational and operational procedures as well as the correct use of personal protective equipment.
There will be further training events in various Regions where both local authority staff and volunteers from national civil protection organizations, operating in coastal areas will participate in order to promote operational synergy between those who intervene in critical situations due to pollution along the coast.