Constantly improving the energy performance of plants, reducing emissions, recovering and safeguarding water resources, protecting the soil and subsoil, maximizing waste recovery, are fundamental objectives that have always guided our work.
To do this, in addition to complying with the environmental quality requirements set by the AIA, the Integrated Environmental Authorization issued by the Ministry of the Environment and of the Energy Security, we apply the best available technologies, the most advanced processes and invest in sustainability projects.
ENERGY SOURCES
The Milazzo Refinery can count on high levels of energy self-sufficiency, managing to cover a large part of its needs internally, through the recovery of energy from the by-products of the processes, its photovoltaic panel system and thermal cogeneration plant.
THE PROTECTION OF THE AIR
In terms of reducing emissions into the atmosphere, we provide qualified expertise and a constant innovation process. We have always designed and applied technologies that make it possible to optimize combustion processes, recover gas and vapours and streamline maintenance interventions.
Our Refinery adheres to the main European Union program aimed at achieving CO2 reduction objectives in the major industrial sectors and in the aviation sector, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), a system for trading greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. For this reason, every year, the volumes of our direct GHG emissions, expressed in tons of CO2 equivalent, are certified by independent third parties.
ODOUR MONITORING
Odour monitoring takes place through a careful procedure aimed at identifying possible sources and periodic sampling and analysis followed by containment measures.
Along the perimeter of the Refinery, there are 13 electronic noses and two anemometers that make up an odour monitoring network set up with the control bodies ISPRA and ARPA, among the first in Italy.
WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Water is of great importance for the production cycle of our Refinery: it is in fact used to cool the plants, feed the fire-fighting system and produce demineralised water to be used for the production of steam.
Being a vital resource for the community, we are committed to containing the impacts of processing on groundwater, soil and subsoil, optimizing consumption and maximizing recovery in the production cycle. Through the technological investments made, every year we manage to recover 41% of the water supplied.
The water released into the sea is first purified and analyzed by monitoring the main parameters. All parameters comply with legal requirements.
THE PROTECTION OF THE TERRAIN AND THE SUBSOIL
Soils and groundwater are constantly monitored through numerous samplings conducted even in the presence of the ARPA inspection agency. Precisely with the aim of protecting soil and groundwater, we have completed a major Soil and Groundwater Operational Safety Operation (MISO) project, which is part of the subsoil remediation process required by law and approved by the Ministry of Environment (now MITE).
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Adhering to the guidelines of our Environmental Management System (EMS), we apply the principles of sustainability aimed at optimizing recycling and recovery (in particular for packaging, paper, plastic, wood and materials such as excavated earth ). In recent years, recovered waste represents almost half of the total waste produced.