Site Visit Objectives:
Present the activities carried out by the Venice Provincial Department of ARPAV in the field of air quality monitoring both in urban and industrial areas and the new installations of the SIMAGE project.

Company Profile:
The Law 61 of 1994 entrusted environmental prevention and control duties to the relevant "Regional Agencies" which became the centres deputised for environmental vigilance and control in local areas.
The Veneto Agency, ARPAV, was established by Regional Law n. 32 of October 18, 1996 and became operative on October 3, 1997. The agency pursues two closely connected objectives: protection, through environmental controls safeguarding population health and territorial safety; prevention, through research, training, information and environmental education. It operates on the basis of three-year plans and an annual program.

The tasks of the Air Observatory include:
- air quality monitoring in the Veneto region
- cooperation with public institutions in territorial planning for protection and improvement of air quality
- control of the interventions effectiveness
The SIMAGE project has been promoted and fully granted by the Veneto Region for the accidental pollution prevention and the protection of the Venice Lagoon.
SIMAGE is the acronym for Integrated System for Ambient Monitoring and the manaGement of the industrial risk and accidEnt in the Venice industrial area (Porto Marghera).
The major objective of the SIMAGE, in case of an industrial accident, is to guarantee an efficient and fast communication flow, as well as an adequate technical support, to the decision authorities (the Prefect, the City Mayor, etc.).
The SIMAGE includes:
• a 24/7 control room, with industrial risk expert personnel and management software
• a dedicated air quality survey network for:
o real time monitoring
o remote controlled sampler, usually in a stand-by mode, ready for immediate collection of samples in case of need
o internal and external communication systems.