Selecting effective ozone exposure control policies solving a two-objective problem

Regional authorities need tools to develop air quality plans, particularly when dealing with secondary pollutants, as ozone, characterized by complex and non-linear dynamics. This work presents a two objective problem considering both effectiveness and costs of alternative environmental policies. Problem solutions suggest action priorities to an environmental authority to improve air quality. To solve the multi-objective problem, an integrated modeling system has been designed and implemented. It includes (1) pollutant-precursor models identified by processing the simulations of a photochemical modeling system and (2) cost functions linking technology costs to emission reductions. The proposed methodology has been applied to a complex domain in Northern Italy, including Milan metropolitan area, a region characterized by high ozone levels in the summer season.