HEAVY METAL EMISSIONS (CD, HG, PB): TRENDS AND SECTORAL DISAGGREGATION

    Descrizione 1
    Update date
    Authors

    Daniela Romano

    Abstract
    Immagine
    Abstract

    The indicator represents the historical series of national heavy metal emissions from 1990 to 2022, by source sector. Since 1990, a reduction in emissions has been recorded for all metals. In particular, emissions of cadmium, mercury, and lead are in line with the internationally set targets under the Aarhus Protocol, having decreased by -63%, -64%, and -95%, respectively, compared to 1990 levels.

    Description

    Heavy metal emissions primarily originate from combustion processes, both industrial and non-industrial, from production processes, and from the energy sector. Heavy metals are of significant health concern as they persist in the environment, leading to bioaccumulation, and are also recognized as important carcinogens. Among these, cadmium (Cd) is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen (known human carcinogens) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

    Purpose

    The estimation of total national heavy metal emissions, disaggregated by sector of economic activity, allows for the assessment of emission trends over the period in question and enables a comparison with the target set by the Aarhus Protocol.

    Policy relevance and utility for users
    It is of national scope or it is applicable to environmental issues at the regional level but of national relevance.
    It can describe the trend without necessarily evaluating it.
    It is simple and easy to interpret.
    It is sensitive to changes occurring in the environment and/or in human activities
    It provides a representative picture of environmental conditions, environmental pressures, and societal responses
    It provides a basis for international comparisons.
    Ha una soglia o un valore di riferimento con cui può essere confrontato
    Analytical soundness
    Be based on international standards and international consensus about its validity;
    Be theoretically well founded in technical and scientific terms
    Presents reliability and validity of measurement and data collection methods
    Temporal comparability
    Spatial comparability
    Measurability (data)
    Adequately documented and of known quality
    Updated at regular intervals in accordance with reliable procedures
    Readily available or made available at a reasonable cost/benefit ratio
    An “adequate” spatial coverage
    An “appropriate” temporal coverage
    Main regulatory references and objectives

    The Aarhus Protocol on Heavy Metals (1998), within the framework of the Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979), sets the reduction target for cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) at the emission levels of 1990 (or alternatively, any other year between 1985 and 1995).

    DPSIR
    Pressure
    Indicator type
    Performance (B)
    References

    ISPRA, 2024. Italian Emission Inventory 1990-2022. Informative Inventory Report 2024 

    Frequenza di rilevazione dei dati
    Annuale
    Fonte dei dati
    ISPRA
    Data availabilty

     http://emissioni.sina.isprambiente.it/inventario-nazionale/

    Spatial coverage

    National

    Time coverage

    1990-2022

    Processing methodology

    Estimation made for the preparation of the National Air Emissions Inventory. For air pollutants, the methodology used is that provided by the European Environment Agency (EMEP/EEA Guidebook - 2019). For a detailed description of the estimation methodology, reference is made to the Informative Inventory Report – IIR (https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/rapporti; https://www.ceip.at/status-of-reporting-and-review-results/2024-submission).

    Update frequency
    Year
    Qualità dell'informazione

    The reported emission data constitute the official reference source for verifying international commitments, due to ISPRA's role as the responsible entity for the annual preparation of the National Air Emissions Inventory. To ensure consistency and compatibility of the inventory, the annual update of emissions involves the revision of the entire historical series based on the latest available information and the most recent methodological developments. The estimates of heavy metal emissions are calculated in accordance with the transparency, accuracy, consistency, comparability, and completeness characteristics required by the reference methodology.

    State
    Good
    Trend
    Positive
    State assessment/description

    The emissions of cadmium, mercury, and lead are in line with the internationally established targets, having decreased in 2022 compared to 1990 by 63%, 64%, and 95%, respectively. These targets were already achieved in 1993 for cadmium and in 1991 for mercury and lead (Table 1, Figure 1).

    Trend assessment/description

    Emissions of all three heavy metals are decreasing (Table 1 and Figure 1), thus outlining a positive environmental trend.

    Comments

    Cadmium shows a decrease throughout the period 1990-2022 (-63%), primarily due to the reduction in emissions from industrial combustion (-79%), which in 2022 accounted for 29% of the total (Table 1, Figure 1). The overall reduction in mercury emissions (-64%) comes mainly from industrial combustion (-70%) and production processes (-49%) (Table 1, Figure 1). The reduction in lead emissions has been significant (-95%), especially thanks to the use of unleaded gasoline; it is noteworthy that the road transport sector, which contributed more than 83% on average to total lead emissions between 1990 and 1999, saw its share decrease to about 17% on average during the 2002-2022 period. Lead emissions from industrial combustion, although reduced by 70% since 1990, accounted for 38% of total emissions in 2022 (Table 1, Figure 1).

    Data
    Headline

    Table 1: National Emissions of Heavy Metals by Sector

    Data source

    ISPRA

    Data legend

    A: Energy Combustion and Transformation Industry;
    B: Non-industrial Combustion;
    C: Industrial Combustion;
    D: Production Processes;
    E: Fossil Fuel Extraction and Distribution/Geothermal;
    F: Use of Solvents;
    G: Road Transport;
    H: Other Mobile Sources;
    I: Waste Treatment and Disposal;
    L: Agriculture.

    Note

    The emission values have been updated in accordance with the annual update of the national emissions inventory.

    Thumbnail
    Headline

    Figure 1: Trend of national heavy metal emissions indexed to 1990.

    Data source

    ISPRA

    Note

    The emission values have been updated in accordance with the annual update of the national emissions inventory.

    English