S-Tiles - raccomandazioni

CONCLUDING REMARKS/TIPS

Thanks to its innovative approach, the IPPC Directive – which considers the management of pollution problems via an integrated approach – is a potentially fundamental instrument for the promotion of sustainable development. There are nevertheless two elements to which public institutions and industrial players should be equally committed: administrative simplification and SME involvement.

Indeed, it is important that the IPPC procedure replaces the present system of environmental authorisations at the sector level (a possible source of conflict and contradictions between the various administrative levels and of communication difficulties), while simultaneously pursuing significant levels of qualification of environmental performance. Without this consolidation, there is the risk of simply designing another new form of environmental authorisation. In this case, the goal of an integrated and balanced assessment, essential for an overall consideration of sustainable development issues and acting as the basis for District certification initiatives, would be missed.

The integrated approach can, without doubt, become an important element to improve the environmental performance of companies, even of SMEs. The Emilia-Romagna Regional Council seems to be taking this direction. However, it should be noted that it is very difficult for SMEs to maintain the economic and organisational drive to apply the BAT, the best available techniques. On the other hand, according to the logic adopted by the Ceramic District, it is important that even SMEs will be able to take an active part in building the sustainable development process of the area, as triggered by the IPPC Directive. Hence an integrated procedure (truly simplified) should be activated which is clearly de-linked from the use of BAT.

It is therefore advisable to launch specific actions aimed at SMEs in the sector, both in the field of training and in communication. This web site can also be developed for this purpose, as part of an integrated environmental communication initiative. The objective is to provide assistance to the sector’s SMEs by supplying those tools which are still lacking today.