The Price of Polluting Is Finally Starting to Bite
- Price of pollution nears record as bloc proposes tougher plan
- Big energy users concerned about costs of meeting standards
Vapour emissions rise from the Jaenschwalde lignite fired power plant in Barenbrueck, Germany.
Photographer: Bloomberg/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
During the past four years, Vittorio Borelli spent about 50 million euros ($58 million) buying equipment for his company’s ceramic-making facility in northern Italy. New gas-fired kilns slashed the time necessary to heat porcelain at more than 1,000 degrees Celsius, saving energy and reducing carbon emissions.
But the chief executive officer of Fincibec SpA has doubts about how sustainable that strategy is after the European Commission said it intended to impose stricter emissions controls. That means Borelli may have to spend more money in coming years to cover the costs of pollution from his business.