Effects on the ecosystem of ceramics production in Sassuolo (Italy)

The problem of local pollution is often related to the characteristics of the productive system, especially when firms of a certain type are concentrated in a small area. An emblematic example is the Sassuolo district (province of Modena, Italy), in which a large part of the Italian production of ceramics is concentrated. We present a thermodynamic analysis of the sustainable use of resources, focusing the attention on the district of Sassuolo. The methodology that is used is the emergy evaluation. Emergy represents the solar energy that is directly and indirectly used up to produce a flow or a storage. The analysis shows that the Sassuolo district represents the peak of non-sustainability of the whole province, with a huge consumption of non-renewable primary resources, both imported and local. The use of the energy resources and the transport of raw and transformed materials are key problems of the district. Emergy related indexes are calculated to understand which of the components that contribute to the system are likely to be limiting factors for future development. The role of the ceramics industry is considered in the consumption of energy and materials. Results show a low level of long-term sustainability, especially if compared with other industrial sectors in the province of Modena. Different types of factories for ceramics production are evaluated, representing a good sample of the different methods of production of the area. This analysis has shown which of these has higher levels of sustainability with respect to the others.