Environmental balance of the ceramic district
More effective solutions for territorial planning
| | |
As the world’s leading ceramic tile production area, the Sassuolo-Scandiano district has played a pioneering role in the relationship between environment and production over the past thirty years. In the 1970s, institutional studies revealed very high water and energy consumption and inadequate pollution control plants (70% of the companies in the district were lacking in systems of this kind and the few that were in operation adversely affected production efficiency). The development of technologies capable of improving environmental conditions and the introduction of specific policies subsequently laid the foundations for planning and focused actions. Operations of this kind have effectively reduced pollution as companies have become increasingly aware of environmental issues.
As a result, environment protection has been transformed from a duty to a primary interest for the companies in the district. The entrepreneurial mentality has taken on board the values of quality, safety and environmental integration that are now key aspects of modern production processes.
The companies in the district have tackled this difficult task with determination. The increasing output that has assured the Italian ceramic industry its world leadership position has at the same time given rise to other factors that have generated environmental pressure, including saturation of residential areas, increased noise, inefficiency of the road system due to the growing volumes of freight traffic, and new chemical pollutants. The need to evaluate the current situation with its newly emerging critical aspects has prompted the provincial administrations of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in cooperation with the prevention and environment agency Arpa for the Emilia Romagna region, to produce an up-to-date environmental balance for the ceramic district. This balance is linked to the changing standpoint from which environmental issues are addressed. Rather than being exclusively sector-oriented or limited solely to final environmental impact, it now integrates territory and production and involves all steps in the production process from primary resources through to final emissions, products included. The significant factors identified are energy and water consumption, noise, electromagnetic emissions, and water, air and soil pollution. On the basis of the results of the balance, an improvement can be achieved through policies and actions applied to the entire area of the district, involving all local players and encompassing not only the industrial systems but also quality of life and natural resources.
The district is meeting this ongoing commitment with a forward-looking approach, significant investments and procedures that pre-empt legislation.
|  |
|
| | |