Air Quality Management Planning in Italy: Trento Alpine Area

Air quality management planning in Italy:

Trento Alpine area case study

R. Vaccaro, C. Trozzi, S. Crocetti TWmz AT/, l/m M Z^^g/z^

E-mail: technerm@mdink. it

Abstract

In 1996-1997 the Environmental Protection Agency of Trento carried out the air quality management plan according to the Ministry of Environment Decree of May 20, 1991. This law introduces prescriptions and rules for elaboration of regional air quality management plans. The Trento air quality management plan is the instrument for planning, co-ordination and control of anthropic activities, with point, mobile and diffuse emissions, with the main aim to protect health and environment. Trento is a very isolated area (a mountain area in the Alps) in which the protection of air quality is a primary goal. In this paper the different planning activities are discussed.

1 Introduction

Italy Ministry of Environment in 1991 (Decree of May 20, 1991) introduced prescriptions and rules for the elaboration of regional air quality management plans. In December 1993 the Ministry of the Environment financed the realization of such plans.

In 1996-1997 the Environmental Protection Agency of Trento has carried out the air quality management plan according to the Decree of May20, 1991'^.

The Autonomous Province of Trento has a surface of 6.206,88 km (2,9% of national territory); 70% of the surface is located on an altitude of 1000 m above sea level.

The Adige Valley, which crosses the province in central position along the north-south way, gives hospitality to more important centers, Trento e Rovereto, and it is crossed by highway and railways of

international importance. The resident people in Trento province are equal to 449.562. Every year the 28 million of tourist presence involves an additional anthropic cargo on the territory of great incidence, particularly because it is concentrated in a limited number of months during a year. Trento area is a very particular area (a mountain area in Alps) in which the air quality protection is a primary goal. In the paper the different planning activities are discussed.

2 Emissions inventory

The preparation of air pollutants emissions inventories in urban areas allows to characterize the different role played by the various emission sources and consequently represents a basic tool to define criteria for air quality management plans'*. A fundamental aspect in preparing inventories is the definition of the main activities to evaluate pollutant emissions. The nomenclature used at a local level follows the guidelines coming from the European Commission CORINAIR working group, which is the base of CORINAIR 1990 inventory. CORINAIR nomenclature includes about 200 activities grouped in 11 macro-sectors:

Public power plants, cogeneration and district heating; Combustion - Commercial, Residential and Public Administration; Industrial combustion; Production processes; Fuels extraction and distribution;

Solvent use; Road Transport; Other mobile sources; Waste treatment and disposal; Agriculture; Nature. This nomenclature may be suitably enlarged to take in account locally relevant activities. Local inventories generally refer to five main air pollutants (namely nitrogen oxides [NO, NO]], sulphur oxides [SO], SO]], non- methane organic compounds [NMVOC], carbon monoxide [CO], fine paniculate matter [PMio]), heavy metals, carbon dioxide (CO]), ammonia (NHs). The sources are splitted in four categories: point sources; localized sources (or minor point sources); linear sources; distributed sources.

The data relative to 2,000 demands of emissions authorization of industrial plants and to 40,000 of thermal plants with potentiality equal or superior to 30,000 kcal/h are taken into account.

The following criteria are established in order to select productive plants and industrial thermal plants as point or localized sources for the census through questionnaire:

localized sources: 50 t/year for CO, 50 kg/year for heavy metals, 5 t/year for main pollutants; point sources: 250 t/year for CO, 250 kg/year for heavy metals,

25 t/year for main pollutants; distributed sources: other plants. A questionnaire is sent for 57 plants. The emission values obtained from questionnaire are compared, where possible, with values calculated on the basis of the emission factors available in literature^. Finally, 13 plants as point and 26 plants as localized sources, are selected. Area sources emissions are evaluated on municipal level using statistical information and through suitable emission factors found in the literature^. Experimental data, available at local level, are checked to get more reliable emission factors. For the emissions estimate from road transport, SETS program, realized on the basis of Corinair methodology^, is used. The emissions estimate from road transport is splitted between distributed sources (urban traffic) and linear sources (highway traffic and main state and provincial roads). In Table 1 the emissions of main pollutants by macro-sector in 1995 year are shown. It is possible to note from table as the transport sector (road and non-road) is the most important for the emissions of CO

(82% of the total), VOC (52%) and NO* (83%). Regarding COz, the emissions from transport (35%), combustion in tertiary (30%), industry

(22%) and natural sources (11%) are the most important. Regarding SO* emissions the combustion in industry, coming mainly from point sources, (38%) and in tertiary (36%) are the most important. Regarding PM,o emissions, they depend mainly on the combustion in tertiary (54%) and transport (28%).

Table 1 -Total emissions in 1995 - Main pollutants (t)

Macrosector SOx NOx PM10 cov CO 01 Public power plants, cogenerntion, 0.0 5.6 O.I 0.1 1.1 district heating. 02 Combustion in commercial 1852.3 929.7 2214.7 875.7 10470.2 1123523.1 institution, residential and agriculture 03 Combustion in industry 1882.9 2114.9 135.6 46.5 705.2 842587.2 04 Process with contact 0.0 563.0 4322 509.7 131.9 17246.2 05 Extraction fossil fuel combustion 0.0 0.0 0.0 7626 0.0 0.0 06 Use of solvents 0.0 0.0 2.8 2146.2 0.0 0.0 07 Road transports 944.9 14397,7 1075.8 12520.5 59858.1 1147521.5 08 Other mobile sources 254.8 2617.0 66.9 561.2 3389.0 177993.9 19.5 8.6 0.5 210.3 0.8 67526.1 09 Wastes treatment 0.0 10 Agriculture 0.0 76.5 194.6 1294.8 1814.9 11 Nature 0.0 0.7 1.5 6071.3 66.5 406961.9 Total 4954.4 20713.7 4124.6 24998.9 76437.6 3786503.7

The emissions from distributed sources on municipal scale, through the use of proxy variables, are distributed on a grid of mesh (1 km x 1 km). In Figure 1, as example, the map, which shows the distribution of VOC emissions, is reported.

346 Air Pollution

14000-112002000 140000 1000 2000 0- 1000

Figure 1: VOC emissions (kg/kW) from distributed sources in 1995

3 Analysis of air quality data

The six stations of air quality network of Autonomous Province of Trento monitore the following pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SOz), paniculate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NOa), non- methane total hydrocarbons (NMHC), ozone (63). After the analysis of every pollutant is carried out, an Air Quality Index** (API), which takes into account different pollutants at the same time, is introduced. The index is elaborated from PSI (Pollutant Standard Index) developed by U.S. EPA (United States - Environment Protection Agency).

The AQI is constructed in the following way: at first a specific index for every pollutant is calculated:

I; = (Cj*/Sj*)100 (1)

where: I: index; i: pollutant; Q*: hourly concentration of NOx, CO and O^, and

24 hours carried mobile average for SO% and paniculate matter; Si*: hourly concentration foreseen by the attention state. The index is equal 100 when the concentration measured (or the

Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 21, © 1998 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541347 Air Pollution mobile average on 24 hours) is equal to the attention state; an index greater means overcomings of the attention state. In Figure 2 the results of API data analysis for all the stations of the network are reported

2,6

2,2

1,4

1,0

~T Max 0,2 Min x r T "I I I 95% 5% -0,2 D Median 18 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 year

Figure 2: Air Quality Index

4 Definition of air quality objectives in the framework of sustainable development

The Autonomous Province of Trento with the air quality management plan moves in the framework of the sustainable development ' . The alpine characterization of the territory recommends the adoption of innovative approaches, based on the principle that the alpine ecosystems make specific restrictions, but, also, particular advantages. From the point of view of air quality objectives, the following levels are defined for every pollutant:

the maximum desiderable level defines the long-term goal of air quality, provides a basis for a policy to protect pristine areas of the country, and spurs continuing improvement in control technology;

the maximum acceptable level is intended to provide adequate protection against adverse effects on human health, vegetation and animals;

the maximum tolerable level denotes time-based concentrations of air pollutants beyond which, due to a diminishing margin of safety, appropriate action is required without delay to protect the health of

the general population. In the following (Table 2) the maximum acceptable levels are defined as air quality objectives, while the maximum desiderable levels are defined as values of strict protection.

Table 2 - Comparison between actual limits and plan objectives

Pollutant Actual Objectives Strict protection limits (maximum values (maximum acceptable desiderable levels) levels) Nitrogen oxide (hourly value) 400 200 125 Carbon monoxide (hourly value) 30 15 10 Total paniculate (24 hours average) 300 150 50

Ozone (hourly value) 360 180 110 Benzene (annual average) 15 10 2,5 Sulphur oxide (24 hours average) 250 125 50

5 Strategies and scenarios for emission control

In the plan several measures, subdivided by typology and priority level

(1,2, 3), are identified. The priority is defined on the basis of the following criteria: potential reduction of emissions; technical and legal facility of implementation; cost/efficacy of the interventions; financial availability; benefits at short term. In the following the measures with priority 1 (in italic) and priority 2, relative to the different types of sources, are reported together with general and monitoring ones:

MEASURES OF GENERAL CHARACTER MG1 Campaign for increase of the energy efficiency; MG2 Campaign for diffusion of the energy saving;

MG3 Campaign for reduction of the private transport; MG4 Campaign for use of the bicycle; MG5 Campaign for efficient management of large combustion plants;

MG6 Campaign for diffusion of Eco Audit in point sources MG7 Campaign for diffusion of the plan MAIN MEASURES REGARDING FIXED DISTRIBUTED SOURCES MD1 Measures of energy saving in industry combustion

MD2 Measures of energy saving in tertiary combustion MD3 Prohibition of the use of fuel oil in tertiary combustion MD4 Progressive control to open burning of agricultural wastes

MD5 Incentive to combustion of wood and wood wastes in district- heating MD8 //in-o&fcfm/i /mm ////2000 of ffogf fw/o m f/zz

distributors MAIN MEASURES REGARDING TRANSPORT (LINEAR AND

DISTRIBUTED SOURCES) MT1 Legislative/procedural support to the best application of Auto/Oil measures of European Community

MT2 Reduction of the goods transport on road and increase of transport on rail in the direction ofBrennero with consequent re- doubling of the railway line

MT3 Expansion of the rail transports in the line Trento-Lavis (line with the highest emissions/km on road) MT5 Incentive to electric or hybrid (electric + natural gas) urban

transport MT7 Disincentive of the use of private cars in urban centers (through extension of payment parking areas)

MAIN MEASURES REGARDING POINT AND LOCALIZED SOURCES MPl Transformation to gas of plants feeded with fuel oil, localized in areas connected to network of methane network;

MP2 Switch to very low content of sulphur oil (0,3%) of the plants /OCW//Z6Y/ z/z wc//z2r#6/2 zo/z^f fW /zof co/z/zzcW fo mzf/zfz/zz network

MP3 Measures of reduction of emissions in the plants for the production of cement MEASURES RELATING TO MONITORING OF AIR QUALITY

MM 1 Realization of a station at a high altitude MM2 Integration of the existing meteorological stations MM3 Realization of an advanced meteorological station for the

realization of radio-sounding MM4 Planning of a bio-monitoring network

Furthermore, in the plan, some administrative measures, finalized to a better carrying out of the Plan, are defined.

6 Emission projections in different scenarios

For the planning purpose the emissions coming from the inventory are projected in time up to year 2010 in scenario without interventions and in

the plan scenario. The scenario without interventions (or "do nothing") is used for the comparison with the alternative scenario, in order to evaluate the possible measures of emissions control and to achieve the objectives of air quality management. The "do nothing" scenario is built starting from data coming from emission inventory and elaboration of diffusion models, under the

hypothesis to don't introduce other interventions with respect to national and provincial normative and provincial planning. In Table 3 the emissions in the do nothing scenario, the emissions in plan scenario (at 2010) and the percentages of emissions reduction on point and localized sources are reported. From the table a significant emissions reduction of sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides is evident.

Table 3 -Point and localized sources emissions (t)

Pollutant 1995 2000 - do nothing 2000 - Plan Reduction so. 1504.7 1065.9 587.3 -44.90%

NO, 2477.2 2777.5 1579.7 -43.1396 PM.o 143.0 139.3 120.6 -13.48% cov 224.2 231.5 157.5 -31.9696 CO 7924 1065.9 10673 0.13%

CO2 744887.0 941294.1 921295.5 -2.1296

In Figure 3 the NO% emissions in the different scenarios are shown.

25000 T

20000 -

15000 BMP# - Reduction of point and localized sources

10000 DMT3+MT5+MT7 - Intervention on private traffic @MT2 - Reduction of goods transport on road

5000 UMT1 - Application of the package Auto/Oil DMD1+MD2+MD3+MD4+MD5 - Interventions in tertiary, agriculture, industry D Expected emissions after interventions

1995 2000 2005 2010

Figure 3: Emissions projection of nitrogen oxides and scenario of reduction

The emissions reduction at 2010 mainly depends on transport, particularly on the application of package Auto/Oil, the reduction of goods transport on road and the car-pooling.

7 Air quality evaluation in different scenarios

The model ISC3^ (Industrial Source Complex) is applied in 1995 and, utilizing the projections of emissions, at 2010, in the do nothing scenario

and under the hypothesis of plan. The values of concentrations calculated by the model on the air monitoring stations, for the different cases, are reported in Tables 4 and 5. The comparison shows the strong reduction to 2010, obtained through the new measures, particularly with reference to nitrogen dioxide.

Table 4 - Trend of nitrogen dioxide concentration (|ig/nf)

Name of the station NO, Wnf ) NOz (|ig/nf ) NO, (|uig/m') 1995 2000 - do nothing 2000 - plan

Trento Centre 61.21 59.87 38.71 Trento Nord 2119 21.72 12.10 Grumo-S.Michele 9743 88.21 39.27 Rovereto 42.78 42.95 26.10

Borgo Valsugana 18.41 18.30 1240 Riva del Garda 17.55 18.72 1230

Table 5 - Trend of sulphur dioxide concentration

Name of the station SO, (|ig/nf ) SO, Win') SOz (|ig/nY)

1995 2000 - do nothing 2000 - plan Trento Centro 10.88 4.64 3.40 Trento Nord 3.61 1.69 1.31 Grumo-S.Michele 9.92 4.41 3.52

Rovereto 14.46 6.21 5.55 Borgo Valsugana 143 1.61 1.51 Riva del Garda 10.28 3.00 237

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank Ing. Maurizio Tava (Environmental Protection Agency of Autonomous Province of Trento) for the collaboration in the plan carrying out.

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