The dazzling white sand of “Spiagge Bianche”, or “white beaches”, in the town of Rosignano Solvay, in southern Tuscany, has been luring tourists by the thousands for years. But this beautiful stretch of shoreline by the Tyrrhenian sea and its uncharacteristic Caribbean-look hides a dark secret that very few of the sunbathers and swimmers who flock to Spiagge Bianche every summer seem to be aware of. The stunningly white sand here is not natural. It’s chemical waste, and its source stands right next to the beach —an enormous complex of towering chimneys and cooling towers spewing smoke and steam into the air. This is the Solvay chemical plant.

Solvay is a Belgium company founded in 1864 by industrialist and politician Ernest Solvay. It came to Italy in 1912 and opened its first plant —and one of its largest production site— near the town of Rosignano Marittimo, located some 25 km from Livorno. Within a short time, with the Solvay factory driving the development, a new town was born with houses, streets, and places for recreation. This new town was named Rosignano Solvay.

Photo credit: Simone Wreath/Flickr