If the exhaust fumes from Venice’s vaporetti seem enticing this summer, it’s not a fluke. The iconic waterbuses will be burning biofuel built from the city’s used cooking oil for a trial run from April to October.
The oil, collected from households and restaurants, will be processed by a local refinery under contract to AVM, the region’s transport agency. Authorities will monitor emissions levels to decide if it should be extended.
Boats, especially large cruise ships, are a major factor in air pollution in Venice. The largest cruise ships will be banned soon, and an electric vaporetto has been added to the fleet. The waste-oil fuel idea has already been adapted elsewhere for cars, and Turin is trialling it for buses. Advocates say it not only reduces pollution but engine maintenance.
