Air Quality and Pollution in Italy: Sources and Effects

Introduction

Globalization is beginning to leave its mark on the environment at a global scale. More and more countries and regions are facing increased levels of pollution due to the irresponsible development of industries that represent high sources of environmental harm. At the global level, action is being taken—most notably through the Kyoto Protocol—to reduce these effects. Nonetheless, specialists warn that the situation is approaching a point of no return, and that increased measures must be taken to reduce the potentially irreversible effects of industrial pressure on the global environment.

Pollution appears to be a "disease" of poor countries or of countries that are unable to invest in green industries. Some of the world's most important polluters—China, India, and Canada—face tough diplomatic pressure over their massive pollution rates. Europe, however, cannot be considered a negligible source of pollution. The European Union, although oriented toward environmental preservation, still experiences high rates of pollution. These are not necessarily manifested at a global scale, but they do significantly affect the living conditions of Europeans.

Italy is an important example of this pattern. According to one source, "By mid-May [2007], Milan had already exceeded European Union and World Health Organization limits for particle pollution in the air on 80 days. Last year was bad, too. By the end of March, Milan had 64 such days, Turin had 77, Bologna 51, and Venice 49" (Rosenthal, 2007).

Despite benefiting from a high-tech industry and modern technology, Italy is also a significant polluter. In order to properly assess the situation, it is important to examine the sources of pollution in the country, the transport of pollutants, the level of the phenomenon, and the effects it has on the population. Serious attempts have been made to cut pollution levels across Europe, so it is also important to consider the regulations imposed by the EU and national governments in this regard.

Sources of Pollution in Italy

There are several definitions of the term "pollution." The Tenth Report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution considered it to be "the introduction by man into the environment of substances or energy liable to cause hazard to human health, harm to living resources and ecological systems, damage to structure or amenity, or interference with legitimate use of the environment" (Colls, 2002, p. 1). Given the breadth of this definition, it is clear that there are several types of pollution, including air, water, land, noise, radioactive, and thermal pollution. Studies also suggest that Italy suffers from light pollution.

Air pollution is considered the most important form of pollution affecting Italy. From this perspective, "a continued rise in emission levels from the transport sector presents an ongoing air pollution challenge to Italian policy-makers, particularly in the face of increasing passenger and freight traffic—an increase of 132% between 1970 and 1991, which is among the highest found in the industrialized nations" (Corrosion in Italy, n.d.).

One of the main causes of pollution in Italian cities is urban pollution linked to transportation. Studies point out that "Italy has one of the highest concentrations of motorized transport in Europe and is seriously threatened by problems of atmospheric pollution linked to transport: many regions and towns have been declared as areas at risk. Since 1987, Naples and its province have been classified by the Ministry of the Environment as an 'environmental high-risk zone'" (Energy Agency of Municipality of Naples, 2001). The major cities therefore represent the primary areas of concentrated pollution.

It is difficult to overlook the immediate causes of air pollution in urban areas. These stem primarily from industrial centers. Given the high costs of production, few industrial sites are fully aware of the environmental damage they cause. At the same time, an unwillingness or inability to invest in environmentally protective technology only increases pollution levels in cities.

Road transportation is another major cause of air pollution in Italy. Because Italy is a densely populated country, car travel within and between cities is essential and, in some areas, the only viable transport option. Given that vehicle emissions are one of the main drivers of air pollution, it is unsurprising that Italy has one of the highest pollution rates in Europe.

The disposal of hazardous waste is yet another contributing factor. While not directly related to air pollution, it is closely linked to soil pollution and, through disturbances to the natural environment, can become relevant to air quality as well. Research conducted in Italy found that "three main geographic patterns of metal concentration in mosses could be defined: (1) Fe, Ni, and Cr, all derived both from soil particulates and anthropogenic emissions connected with ferrous metal manufacturing, were mostly concentrated in Northwestern Italy; (2) Cu and Zn, as typical multi-source elements, showed rather high concentrations with little ranges of variation over the whole area and small peaks reflecting local source points; (3) Cd and Pb reflected long-distance transport and showed highest concentrations in the regions with highest precipitation, especially in the Eastern Alps" (Gerdol et al., n.d.). This demonstrates that even areas generally considered clean are being reached by spreading pollution.

The Transport of Pollution

Air pollution can be transported easily, through the movement of air currents, wind, and other natural phenomena. This is especially visible in Italy, where pollution levels in certain areas are closely tied to prevailing natural conditions. In the case of Milan, for example, "it is typical with its radial pattern of long, narrow streets and massed buildings towards the city centre. The climate of the Po Valley is characterized by rather frequent occurrence of thermal inversions. For this reason atmospheric pollution is more severe in Milan than in other Italian towns… the SO₂ concentrations detected in this city correspond to the period December 1963–January 1964 and are the highest reported in recent years; this was during a period of thermal inversion with intense and prolonged fog and no wind" (Grosso and Frangipane, n.d.). The study cited demonstrates through detailed measurement data how the absence of wind or atmospheric movement affects whether pollution disperses or remains concentrated at dangerous levels.

Pollution can also be transported indirectly through buildings. It has been observed that indoor air in hospitals and other public buildings can be compromised by inadequate ventilation: outdoor air circulates indoors, and a poor ventilation or filtration system fails to purify it. This is a significant consideration because it illustrates how pollution can affect people who spend most of their time indoors, not just those exposed directly to outdoor air.