Air pollutant emissions by combustion processes in Italy

Abstract

An estimate is made of the emissions of the five main air pollutants resulting from combustion processes: sulphur oxides (SO_x), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), total suspended particles (TSP), CO and volatile organic compounds (VOC) which include gases. An initial estimate, intended to provide some indication of the emission time trend, covers the years 1976, 1980 and 1984. Here emissions are divided according to both large fuel-consuming sectors (industry, agriculture, thermal power plants, residential and commercial, transportation), and the type of fuel used (coal, lignite, natural gas, oil products).

A further estimate is made, with reference to 1980, in which identified emissions are related to individual Italian regions and to the large activity sectors. For the same year emissions are grouped with reference to the 150 km × 150 km EMEP grid.