Air pollution - Drivers and pressures (Switzerland)

SOER 2010 Common environmental theme (Deprecated)

This page was archived on 21 Mar 2015 with reason: A new version has been published

SOER Common environmental theme from Switzerland

Topic: Air pollution

Published: 26 Nov 2010 Modified: 11 May 2020

Ultimately, it is human behaviour that determines emission levels. Mobility, energy consumption, industrial and agricultural production and consumption patterns are the principal contributors. On the other hand, it is the development and resolute use of clean technologies that reduces emissions. This process can be supported by tightening limit values and providing economic incentives, such as the CO2 levy on fossil fuels that was introduced on 1 January 2008.

The principal sources are transport, industry, households and agriculture (emissions 2008).

	Households	Industry	Agriculture/forestry	Transport	Total
	%	%	%	%	%
SO2	27	68	1	5	100
NOx	9	25	11	55	100
NMVOC	18	57	8	17	100
CO	16	15	11	58	100
NH3	2	2	95	2	100
HCl	34	66	0	0	100
HF	7	93	0	0	100
Particulate Matter PM10 ¹	14	29	30	27	100
Pb	42	28	1	29	100
Zn	3	8	0	89	100
Cd	24	69	0	7	100
Hg	15	84	1	0	100
PCDF	44	45	2	9	100
CH4	1	15	83	0	100
N2O	2	19	75	4	100
¹ currently under revision