Ecoacciai fire in Pontedera triggers environmental monitoring and waste collection delays

A major fire broke out on the evening of October 26 at the Ecoacciai plant in the Gello industrial area of Pontedera, Italy. The blaze involved industrial scrap from end-of-life vehicles, including metal, rubber, plastics, and foam, producing a massive black smoke column visible across the Valdera region.

Environmental agency ARPAT has deployed a mobile laboratory to monitor air quality for pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, benzene, and methane. Technicians are also conducting sampling of broad-leaf vegetation within a 1,500-meter radius to check for heavy metals, dioxins, furans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Local mayors, including the mayor of Cascina, have issued urgent ordinances advising residents to keep windows closed, limit outdoor activities, and thoroughly wash homegrown produce.

The fire has caused significant logistical disruptions. The nearby Revet plant was closed as a precaution, leading to potential delays or limitations in multi-material waste collection across the provinces of Florence, Prato, and Pistoia. While firefighters worked to contain the flames, authorities confirmed that water used to extinguish the fire was successfully diverted into internal collection tanks to prevent soil contamination.