Introduction: The first challenge of diagnosing and managing air quality is to understand, quantify and identify the contribution of sources, as well as the main pollutants associated with them. This survey becomes even more complex in regions with a wide diversity of sources, such as large urban and industrial centers. This identification is extremely important for formulating data-based actions to control and reduce the impact on human health, natural ecosystems, and climate change. In 2013, the state of São Paulo changed its regulations, which implemented intermediate targets to achieve the final target recommended by the World Health Organization (2005), such as a threshold. In 2021, the air quality standard in the state became the second, more restrictive, intermediate target. To achieve these goals, it is important to plan and develop control strategies, mainly associated with reducing the sources of pollutant emissions and precursors. To promote discussions and solutions related to air quality in the state of São Paulo, this project focused on the challenges of surveying pollutant emission factors and inventories. Inventories are important environmental management tools that allow us to identify significant sources of atmospheric pollutants, provide a basis for decision-making, formulate control strategies, and are essential for projections of climate and air quality scenarios.

Objective: In this context, the objective of this project was to create a strategic plan for managing data, provided by the industries listed in the Stationary Source Emissions Reduction Plan (PREFE), to organize and automate the construction of a state inventory, to prepare a diagnosis of the sources pollutant emissions in the state of São Paulo.

Method: This work has been carried out in partnership with state environmental agency, CETESB (Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo). Important parts of this project have been developed by this collaboration, where we are working, mainly, in the monitoring and analysis of CETESB Board Decisions (no. 118/2021/I/C and 119/2021/ I/C) associated with PREFE. Therefore, we point out here discussions and solutions related to air quality in the control regions listed in PREFE, as well as the main challenges encountered for planning in this context. To manage the information received by industries, the fundamental stages of compilation, analysis, validation, and visualization of emission data from fixed sources were outlined, aiming to formulate strategic planning that can be applied in other locations in Brazil to build an inventory. The construction of definitions and description of procedures associated with fundamental steps begins from planning data capture to their visualization. This process was listed in cyclical schemes, as this data is reviewed and, in many cases, requires updates and corrections by industries.

Findings: Within the air quality theme regarding emission inventories, the scope and strategies have directed towards the generation of applicable products, such as interactive analysis dashboards and methodological strategies for the emission inventories of industries listed in PREFE. These products have worked to improve the analysis and inspection of emission inventories delivered by industries, being tools for agility and reliability in complying with Board Decisions for the effectiveness of PREFE. The compilation of this data has generated effective actions in the reduction plan. Furthermore, these compiled, checked data, sectorized by category of industrial activity and type of sources, are strategies that have allowed, in addition to reduction actions, the development of local scientific studies with real data. Of these, the identification of the main sources by type of pollutants emitted stands out, such as large tanks emitting hydrocarbons, as well as the main activities, where emphasis was placed on the refinery. Data management and inventory has impacted several aspects and generated effectiveness in the administrative, political, and scientific process. Planning has allowed the inclusion of different actors, managers and skills in the applicability and effectiveness of the control policy. And from this new inventory generated with industrial data, it is expected to have a better basis for environmental research, formulation of mitigation and emission reduction strategies, as well as subsidies for decision-making and regulatory guidance.

Keywords: Emissions Inventory, São Paulo State, Pollution Control Plan, Information Management