S-Tiles - lo strumento

IPPC: THE TOOL

The EU Directive on INTEGRATED POLLUTION PREVENTION CONTROL (IPPC), adopted in 1996, is a very innovative element within the European environmental policy framework. The directive marked the passage from an environmental authorisation system that was divided into matrixes (water, air, soil, waste…) to an integrated and systemic approach to pollution control.

According to this new approach, preference is given to pollution prevention and reduction at the source in order to guarantee a careful and more sustainable management of natural resources. The cut in the levels of industrial emissions is based on the possibilities offered by the BEST AVAILABLE TECHNIQUES (BAT) for stimulating innovation and progressive adoption of technologies with minor environmental impact. Another important element is the right of the public to be informed on the industrial activities’ impact. The Directive, finally, allows the drafting of homogenous environmental authorisations for plants with a high potential of pollution.

For Italy, as well as for other European countries, the IPPC Directive comes at an important moment of reorganisation of environmental competencies (delegated more and more to the regional or provincial level) and of moving towards the simplification of administrative procedures and authorisations.