Andorra Awards €19K Contract for Os River Diesel Spill Cleanup

The Andorran government awarded a €19,048.40 contract to Econet-Eco-Neteges Especials SA for emergency work to contain and minimize environmental damage from a diesel spill in the Os River, detected on 20 December 2025.

The Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock authorized the direct emergency hiring, which covers actions carried out retroactively from 23 December 2025 to 8 January 2026. The decision appeared in a notice published on Wednesday in the Official Gazette of the Principality (BOPA).

The incident took place in the Aixovall area of Sant Julià de Lòria parish, at the site of a similar contamination event in October 2023. Environment officials first noted low hydrocarbon levels, prompting firefighters to set up absorbent booms and mats. Three days later, on 23 December, monitoring showed higher concentrations, leading to reinforced measures including a Watergate containment barrier.

Specialists from the hired firm then handled hydrocarbon removal and maintained the containment setup over more than two weeks. Daily checks by staff adjusted the system amid rainfall and shifting river flows to prevent further spread downstream.

The Environment department and Industrial Safety unit examined nearby warehouses and storage tanks but have yet to pinpoint the spill's origin. The response aimed to limit ecological impact in the affected river section.