PRTR REGISTER: AIR EMISSIONS (FORMERLY INES REGISTER: AIR EMISSIONS)

    Descrizione 1
    Update date
    Authors

    Andrea Gagna

    Abstract
    Immagine
    Abstract

    The EPRTR (European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) is the integrated register developed by the EU under Regulation (EC) No 166/2006, with the aim of making publicly available information on environmental impacts from industrial facilities that meet the criteria established in the legislation. This indicator represents the total air emissions from industrial facilities that have reported such emissions to the national PRTR register. The air emissions declared for 2020 refer to 34 substances (non-zero values). Comparing 2020 data with 2007, it is observed that for 25 substances, total national atmospheric emissions have decreased (for 23 of these, reductions exceed 40%), while for 8 substances, overall emissions have increased (including: hydrogen cyanide +356% from 2007, hydrofluorocarbons +19%, and ammonia +109%).

    Description

    The indicator represents the total air emissions from the largest industrial facilities within national territory, which are required to report to the national PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register). It also reflects the pressure exerted by installations subject to IED permits (formerly IPPC), and included in the scope of the regulation. The emission values reported are derived through measurements, calculations, or estimates and may include both point source (channelled) and diffuse (unchannelled or fugitive) emissions. Qualitative and quantitative information on air emissions is collected via PRTR declarations, based on the criteria set by the relevant legislation (Regulation (EC) No 166/2006; Presidential Decree 157/2011; and Article 30 of Legislative Decree 46/2014). These criteria include a list of pollutants (Annex II to the Regulation), each accompanied by a threshold value for emissions to a given medium (air, water, soil). The total air emission of a pollutant is declared by a PRTR facility only if it exceeds the corresponding threshold value.

    Purpose

    The purpose is to provide qualitative and quantitative information on air emissions produced by PRTR activity categories, including those subject to IED (ex IPPC), as declared in the national PRTR register. For each substance or group of substances, the indicator reports the total value declared to the PRTR register for the given reference year and the contribution from the PRTR activity group to which the main reported activity belongs.

    Rilevanza
    It is able to describe the trend without necessarily providing an evaluation of it.
    It is simple, easy to interpret.
    It is sensitive to changes that occur in the environment and/or human activities.
    Provides a representative picture of environmental conditions, pressures on the environment.
    Provides a basis for international comparisons.
    Measurability
    Adequately documented and from a known source.
    Updated at regular intervals and with reliable procedures.
    An 'adequate' spatial coverage.
    An 'appropriate' temporal coverage.
    Solidity
    It is based on national/international standards and national/international consensus on its validity.
    It is well founded in technical and scientific terms.
    It presents reliability and trustworthiness of the measurement and data collection methods
    Comparability over time
    Comparability in space
    Main regulatory references and objectives

    Regulation (EC) No 166/2006, Presidential Decree 157/2011, and Article 30 of Legislative Decree 46/2014. The objective of this legislation is to make the described environmental information publicly accessible. Compared to the previous INES Register, the PRTR covers more companies, more substances, and more monitored activities.

    DPSIR
    Pressure
    Indicator type
    Descriptive (A)
    Limitations

    The PRTR data collection system is based on self-declaration by facilities and validation by competent authorities. This offers opportunities for further improving the quality and completeness of the database. The annual quality assessment of data declared to the PRTR, carried out by the authorities, may result in further adjustments to the database and to the level of national air emissions.

    Data collection frequency
    Yearly
    Fonte dei dati
    ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale)
    Data availabilty

    I dati delle emissioni totali in aria relativi agli stabilimenti inclusi nella comunicazione ufficiale alla Commissione europea (art.7 Regolamento CE 166/2006) sono accessibili da parte del pubblico sul sito del Registro EPRTR (European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register): https://industry.eea.europa.eu/#/home

    Spatial coverage

    National

    Time coverage

    2007-2020

    Processing methodology

    Values are obtained by aggregating data by substance and PRTR activity group.

    Update frequency
    Year
    Qualità dell'informazione

    The underlying data used to generate this indicator, accessible and regularly updated, comes from the national PRTR database. It is declared by companies subject to the PRTR reporting obligation and evaluated by the competent authorities as required by Presidential Decree 157/2011. The evaluation is a continuous process that may lead to adjustments in the reporting base and the data communicated, even in years following the declaration year. The indicator is comparable over time and space and also allows for international comparisons.

    State
    Good
    Trend
    Positive
    Rating evaluation/description

    The information collected in the PRTR register covers the years from 2007 to 2020 and refers to a list of 41 substances for the “atmosphere” medium. The air emissions reported for 2020 concern 34 substances (Table 1), a lower number than in 2019 (37 substances). Overall, the change in emissions from 2019 to 2020 was negative for 27 of the 34 substances considered.

    Trend evaluation/description

    Regarding emission trends, comparing 2020 data to 2007 shows that for 25 out of the 33 monitored substances, total national air emissions have decreased (for 23 of them, reductions exceed 40%, including: hydrochlorofluorocarbons -89.9%, nickel -87.5%, 1,2-dichloroethane -100%, SOx -76.6%, NOx -57.8%, and zinc -75.2%). For 8 substances, emissions have increased (including: hydrogen cyanide +356%, mercury +88%, dichloromethane DCM +78%, and ammonia +109.7%), while for 8 declared substances, data is missing for the relevant years (Table 1 and Figures 1–5).

    Comments

    I valori delle emissioni in atmosfera sono relativi alle sostanze incluse nell'elenco previsto dalla normativa di riferimento. I dati dichiarati dal singolo stabilimento, poiché maggiori dei valori delle corrispondenti soglie fissate per la dichiarazione PRTR, sono stati sottoposti a valutazione di qualità da parte delle autorità competenti. Le caselle vuote presenti in tabella indicano che, per l'anno considerato, non è disponibile un dato nazionale di emissione in aria per una certa sostanza, poiché i dati relativi non sono stati dichiarati dagli stabilimenti al Registro PRTR. Le Figure 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 permettono di osservare che le attività energetiche emettono in aria la percentuale più alta di CO2,SOx, NOx, N2O, Hg, Pb, As e Cd; le attività di gestione rifiuti e acque reflue emettono in aria più del 72% del CH4 e il 68% dei CFC; gli allevamenti intensivi emettono oltre il 91% dell'ammoniaca totale in atmosfera e il settore dell'industria dei metalli emette le percentuali più alte di CO, Cr, Ni, Cu, diossine, naftalene e PM10.

    Data
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    Figure 5: Percentage distribution of air emissions of other substances among PRTR groups, in 2020

    Data source

    ISPRA – National Register for the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

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    "Figure 1: Percentage distribution of air emissions of conventional and greenhouse gases among PRTR groups, in 2020"

    Data source

    ISPRA – National Register for the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

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    Figure 2: Percentage distribution of air emissions of heavy metals among PRTR groups, in 2020

    Data source

    ISPRA – National Register for the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

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    Figure 3: Percentage distribution of total air emissions of chlorinated organic substances among PRTR groups, in 2020

    Data source

    ISPRA – National Register for the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

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    Figure 4: Percentage distribution of air emissions of other organic substances among PRTR groups, in 2020

    Data source

    ISPRA – National Register for the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

    Headline

    Table 1: Total air emissions, broken down by PRTR group, in 2020"

    Data source

    ISPRA – National Register for the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

    English