The indicator represents emissions in the refining sector, taking into account the three environmental components: air, water, and waste, particularly: airborne emissions of major pollutants such as SOx, NOx, CO, and particulates; emissions of polluting substances into water, such as COD (chemical oxygen demand), TSS (total suspended solids), phenols, and total hydrocarbons; the quantity of total waste, including hazardous and non-hazardous waste produced, and the waste recovery rate. Air emissions have decreased significantly over the past 10 years, thanks to the introduction of more restrictive limits in the AIA (Integrated Environmental Authorisation) measures and the implementation of BAT (Best Available Techniques). The largest reduction in polluting emissions in water is observed for the pollutant TSS, which has decreased by 84.8% between 2011 and 2023. The percentage of waste sent for recovery has increased, rising from 26.7% in 2011 to 42.7% in 2023. The improvements achieved in terms of reduction of polluting emissions in water and the percentage of waste sent for recovery can be attributed to the environmental management systems implemented by operators, based on the specific requirements of the Integrated Environmental Authorisations imposed by the MASE (Ministry of Environment and Energy Security), especially since 2018, the period of comprehensive reviews of AIA for refineries, and to the monitoring activities carried out by ISPRA for environmental monitoring, which is conducted during both regular and extraordinary inspection controls.

The indicator represents the number of Integrated Environmental Authorisation (IEA or AIA) decisions issued for active installations under national competence (comprehensive review pursuant to Article 29-octies of Legislative Decree 152/06) by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), in relation to the total number of procedures initiated for the issuance of AIA decisions. Since 2016, the process of issuing state-level AIA decisions has been aligned with the implementation of the following European Commission Implementing Decisions:

2014/738/EU (9 October 2014 – BAT Conclusions for the Refining of Mineral Oil and Gas),

2017/1442/EU (31 July 2017 – BAT Conclusions for Large Combustion Plants),

2017/2117/EU (21 November 2017 – BAT Conclusions for Waste Treatment).

An analysis of the trend over the period 2016–2023 shows a continuous increase in the percentage of AIA decisions issued by MASE relative to the number of procedures initiated, reaching 93% in 2023, thus approaching the target of full completion (100%). ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) is tasked with providing technical and scientific support to the AIA-IPPC Commission for the issuance, amendment, and review of AIA procedures under national competence. This includes proposing the Monitoring and Control Plan (PMC) during the Services Conference, in accordance with Article 29-quater(6) of Legislative Decree 152/06. In 2023, in support of the AIA-IPPC Commission’s work for the 98 procedures initiated by MASE, ISPRA prepared and submitted to MASE:

133 Technical Reports assessing the completeness of AIA applications and contributing to the drafting of the Final Evaluation Opinions (PIC) issued by the AIA-IPPC Commission;

5 Validation Reports concerning the Baseline Reports (relating to soil and groundwater status);

7 Monitoring and Control Plans (PMC), integral parts of the AIA, outlining monitoring and compliance verification methods for plant emissions, as required by Article 29-sexies(6) of Legislative Decree 152/06.

Some of these documents also refer to procedures initiated by MASE in earlier years. In total, 92 AIA decisions were officially issued by MASE in 2023.

The information concerns the inspection and control activities carried out by ISPRA, in its capacity as the Control Authority, with the support of the territorially competent Regional Environmental Agencies (ARPA/APPA), at industrial installations subject to compliance with the state-level Integrated Environmental Authorisation (IEA). In 2023, the number of state-level installations under surveillance and subject to IEA was consistent with the data from 2022.

The positive trend observed between 2009 and 2014 experienced a slight reversal in 2015 due to factors unrelated to inspection activities, before stabilising between 2016 and 2017. It then increased again in 2018, recording the highest number of monitored installations, before declining between 2020 and 2023.