Industrial pollution in Europe

Page Last modified 19 Nov 2019

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Industry is a key component of Europe’s economy and plays a significant role in the economic well-being of our continent. At the same time, industrial activities are a source of pressure on the environment in the form of emissions to the atmosphere and water ecosystems, generation of waste and consumption of resources.

Pollution form industrial activities is widespread in Europe but, at the same time, certain sectors and the largest industrial installations account for a considerable share of total emissions of key atmospheric pollutants.

Most of the emissions in Europe are concentrated in the energy sector and certain manufacturing industries. The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) has compiled data from the largest industrial point sources in Europe since 2007. It covers 91 different pollutants to air, water and land from around 30 000 industrial facilities across Europe.

The EEA, using the data officially submitted by countries to that inventory, provides analysis of industrial pollution in Europe. These are some recent examples:

Greening the power sector: benefits of an ambitious implementation of Europe's environment and climate policies (online briefing)

Environmental pressures of heavy metal releases from Europe's industry (online briefing)

Releases of pollutants to the environment from Europe’s industrial sector in 2015 (online briefing)

Costs of air pollution from European industrial facilities 2008–2012 (report)

While these assessments show that the environmental performance of European industry has improved in recent decades, the sector is still responsible for significant amounts of pollution.

European legislation has delivered concrete reductions in pollution but a transition to a greener European industrial sector will require integrated approaches, with stronger control of pollution at source, incentives to change operating practices and use of innovative technologies.

Related content

Related briefings

Greening the power sector: benefits of an ambitious implementation of Europe's environment and climate policies Europe's electricity generation still relies largely on fossil fuels as an energy source and thus contributes to emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), dust and nitrogen oxides (NOx), among other pollutants. A new EEA assessment shows that with an ambitious implementation of new requirements under the EU Industrial Emissions Directive, Member States can significantly reduce pollutant emissions and thus minimise their potential harmful effects on the environment and human health. There is also a close link between future reductions in pollutant emissions and EU climate and energy policy, which drives growth in renewables and the switch towards cleaner fuels in the remaining power plants. A more fundamental restructuring of the power sector is, however, needed to meet the EU's long-term decarbonisation targets.

Environmental pressures of heavy metal releases from Europe's industry The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) ensures public access to information on pollutant releases to the environment from Europe’s largest facilities. Updated E-PRTR data have recently been published by the EEA, including information on pollutant releases to the environment from some 33 000 facilities in Europe for the period 2007-2016. This briefing, based on updated E-PRTR data for 2016, presents information on heavy metal releases to air and water. It applies an eco-toxicity approach (USEtox model) to illustrate spatially the combined environmental pressures on Europe’s environment caused by releases of the selected pollutants.

Releases of pollutants to the environment from Europe's industrial sector – 2015 The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) ensures public access to information on pollutant releases to the environment from Europe’s largest industrial facilities. This briefing, based upon recently updated E-PRTR data, provides details of Europe’s largest emitting facilities for selected key pollutants in 2015. A more detailed assessment of the large combustion plants (LCP) sector also highlights the ongoing shift away from certain fossil fuels in the sector over the past decade, as well as improvements made to the sector’s environmental performance.

Related publications

Costs of air pollution from European industrial facilities 2008-2012 An updated assessment of the damage cost estimates to health and the environment caused by pollutants emitted to air from Europe's largest industrial facilities.

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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/industry/industrial-pollution-in-europe/industrial-pollution-in-europe or scan the QR code.

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BISE	Biodiversity Information System for Europe
Climate-ADAPT	Climate Adaptation Platform
Copernicus In Situ	Copernicus in situ component
Copernicus Land	Copernicus land monitoring

European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register	E-PRTR
Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring	IPCHEM
Marine Water Information System for Europe	WISE-Marine
Fresh Water Information System for Europe	WISE-FreshWater

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Industrial pollution in Europe