Panel 1
Daniela Romano
The indicator represents the trend of national particulate matter (PM10) emissions by source sector from 1990 to 2022, showing a significant overall reduction over the years (-40.5%). The road transport sector, which contributes 10% to total emissions in 2022, shows a reduction of 65.6% over the entire period. Emissions from non-industrial combustion, on the other hand, have increased by approximately 37.6% during the same period, becoming the most significant sector in 2022, accounting for 45.3% of total emissions.
Particulate matter smaller than 10 µm originates from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The natural sources include soil erosion, marine aerosols, biogenic aerosol production (such as plant fragments, pollen, spores), volcanic emissions, and long-range transport of sand. A significant portion of atmospheric dust is of secondary origin, resulting from the reaction of gaseous compounds such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ammonia, and organic compounds. Additionally, components such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals are present in particulate matter. Dust particles, especially in their smaller size fraction, pose a considerable health risk due to their high ability to penetrate the respiratory system. The estimates provided are limited to primary emissions, and do not account for secondary emissions or those resulting from the resuspension of dust deposited on the ground.
Evaluate the trend over time of PM10 emissions (particles with a diameter of less than 10 µm) disaggregated by sector, relevant for monitoring the effectiveness of emission reduction regulations, with particular attention to urban areas.
As a Party to the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP, 1979), Italy is required to update and submit the national air pollutant emission inventory annually, which includes PM10 among other pollutants. Within the energy and industry sectors, DPR 203/88 establishes the regulations for plant authorization, and the Ministerial Decree of July 12, 1990, introduces emission limits for establishments. The national framework legislation for air protection and the reduction of atmospheric emissions is Legislative Decree No. 152/2006 (Environmental Regulations, Part V). This Decree was later updated by Legislative Decree No. 128/2010 and further amended following the implementation of Legislative Decree No. 46/2014. Numerous regulations limit particulate emissions in specific sectors, particularly in road transport and industry. Regarding stationary sources, Directive 2010/75/EU sets the emission limit values for particulate matter for solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels in large combustion plants. For medium combustion plants, Directive (EU) 2015/2193 also establishes regulations for air pollutant control, including particulate emissions, to mitigate potential risks to human health and the environment. For mobile sources, the most recent regulations concerning particulate emissions derive from Regulation (EC) No. 715/2007 on the approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and Regulation (EC) No. 595/2009 on the approval of motor vehicles and engines concerning emissions from heavy-duty vehicles (Euro VI).
Panel 2
Cóndor R., De Lauretis R., Romano D., Vitullo M., 2008. Inventario nazionale delle emissioni di particolato e principali fonti di emissione. In: Atti 3° Convegno Nazionale sul Particolato Atmosferico. Il particolato at-mosferico: la conoscenza per l’informazione e le e le strategie di intervento Bari 6-8 Ottobre, Italia.
De Lauretis R., Gaudioso D., Gonella B., Romano D., 2006. Inventario delle emissioni in atmosfera di PM10 e strategie di riduzione, XXII Congresso Nazionale della Società Chimica Italiana, Firenze, 10-15 Settembre 2006, Atti del Congresso. ISPRA, anni vari. Dati e pubblicazioni disponibili su: http://emissioni.sina.isprambiente.it/inventario-nazionale/ ISPRA, 2022. La disaggregazione a livello provinciale dell’inventario nazionale delle emissioni. Disponibile su http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/rapporti ISPRA, 2010.
ISPRA - De Lauretis R. et al., Trasporto su strada Inventario nazionale delle emissioni e disaggregazione provinciale, Rapporti - N. 124 /2010.
ISPRA, 2024. Italian Emission Inventory 1990-2022. Informative Inventory Report 2024.
Data quality assessment
ISPRA (Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research)
http://emissioni.sina.isprambiente.it/inventario-nazionale/
National
1990-2022
Indicator assessment
Estimation calculated within the framework of the national air pollutant emission inventory. For air pollutants, the methodology used follows the guidelines provided by the European Environment Agency (EMEP/EEA Air Pollutant Emission Inventory 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).
PM10 emission levels in 2022 amounted to approximately 206 kt, representing a 3% reduction compared to 2021. This decrease is mainly due to emissions from non-industrial combustion, which contribute 45% of the total PM10 emissions and decreased by 8% during the same period, partly due to favorable climatic conditions. A "positive" assessment is attributed (Table 1).
National PM10 emissions decreased by 40.5% over the period 1990-2022, showing a positive environmental trend (Table 1).
Data
Table 1: National PM10 Emissions by Source Sector
ISPRA
A: Energy Combustion and Transformation Industry
B: Non-Industrial Combustion
C: Industrial Combustion
D: Production Processes
E: Fossil Fuel/Geothermal Extraction and Distribution
F: Solvent Use
G: Road Transport
H: Other Mobile Sources
I: Waste Treatment and Disposal
L: Agriculture
The emission values have been updated in accordance with the annual update of the national emissions inventory.
Figure 1: National PM10 Emissions by Source Sector
ISPRA
The emission values have been updated in accordance with the annual update of the national emissions inventory.
National emissions are calculated in accordance with the estimation methodology adopted at the European level and reported in the EMEP/EEA Air Pollutant Emission Inventory Guidebook – 2019. Emissions from natural sources (other emission sources and sinks) are not included in the totals, as per the classification adopted in the national emissions inventory estimation.
Between 1990 and 2022, the road transport sector saw a decrease of 65.6%, contributing 10% of total emissions in 2022. Emissions from non-industrial combustion increased by 37.6%, representing the most significant sector in 2022 with 45.3% of total emissions. Other combustion processes showed notable reductions in particulate emissions. Specifically, emissions from combustion for energy production and in the transformation industry decreased by 98.5%, accounting for only 0.3% of total emissions in 2022, compared to an average of over 12% until 1995. Emissions from combustion processes in industry decreased by 71.5%, reaching a share of 3.8% of the total in 2022.
The reductions in the energy and industrial sectors are primarily due to the introduction of two regulatory instruments: DPR 203/88, which establishes the regulations for the authorization of plants, and DM of July 12, 1990, which introduces emission limits for plants.
In 2022, emissions from agricultural activities, production processes, and other mobile sources accounted for 10.2%, 20%, and 4.5%, respectively, of the total, with reductions from 1990 of -35.6%, -41.2%, and -70.6%, respectively. Emissions from waste treatment and disposal increased by 17.1% since 1990, and in 2022, they accounted for 2.8% of total emissions (Table 1, Figure 1).