E-PRTR: European Pollutant Emission Register

The European Environment Agency has collaborated with the European Commission to co-launch a detailed new greenhouse gas emission release register covering industrial sites across Europe.  The register covers both pollutant emissions created as a result of industrial activities like fossil fuel burning, and also focuses on the waste that passes between these sites and national/international waste handlers. 

In all, 91 different pollutant forms are covered, along with in excess of 24,000 industrial sites representing tens of different industries. 

European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register

The scheme is officially known as E-PRTR – the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register.  The data listed accounts for 30 per cent of the total volume of nitrogen oxide emissions released within Europe, along with 76 per cent of the sulphur oxide released into the atmosphere. 

The heartbeat of E-PRTR is an internet search engine that allows those using it to view emissions data through a number of filtered options.  These include by country and by individual industrial site, and the data listed on the website covers the past two years of emissions release and waste transfer.

European Industrial Emissions

According to the European industrial emissions information on E-PRTR, it is often the case that just a handful of sites are responsible for a high, combined pollution output.  This is illustrated by the case of sulphur oxide emissions, over 20 per cent of the total of which came from a mere five industrial plants during 2007.  Sulphur oxides are both harmful to the environment, and are involved in the creation of particulate matter, which has been linked to degraded human health. 

“Transparency is a vital tool for improving our environment”, Stavros Dimas – Environment Commissioner – explained.  “The opening of this register will give citizens direct access to information on emissions from facilities across Europe and will help them to engage actively in decisions affecting the environment.”

“It demonstrates a genuine commitment by the public authorities and industry to share information with citizens and increase openness”, he added.

“With this new register, we take an important step in placing more environmental information at their [the public’s] fingertips”, the European Environment Agency’s Executive Director, Professor Jacqueline McGlade, stated, adding: “Anyone can now see how much pollution is being released to air and water from facilities in their neighbourhood or region.”