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Key messages: Releases of heavy metals decreased significantly in the first years of the last decade. However, this has stagnated between 2017 and 2022. Nitrogen emissions decreased over the last decade, with an observed level-off between 2019 and 2022.
Industrial releases of pollutants to water compared to economic activity in the EU-27 (2010-2022)
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Pollutants in surface waters include e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus, which make up a substantial part of pollution in terms of total mass, and heavy metals, which are releases of a more toxic nature (EEA, 2024).
Overall, industrial releases to water were lower in 2022 than in 2010: emissions of heavy metals (cadmium, mercury, lead and nickel) decreased significantly, with releases of lead particularly falling. Levels of nitrogen and phosphorus decreased to a much lesser extent. These decreasing trends partly reflect the positive influence of EU policy and improved pollution abatement technology on industrial emissions to water, coupled with a shift to less-polluting industrial activities across the continent.
The increase between 2020 and 2021, on the other hand, is a result of accelerated industrial activity after the COVID-19 period, as reflected in the increase in gross value added (GVA).
The revised Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) adopted in 2024 has the potential to drive emissions further down by requiring operators to apply the strictest, Best Available Techniques-Associated Emissions Levels (BAT-AELs) and making it easier to adopt innovative techniques, among other new requirements.
Operators will also be required to have an environmental management system (EMS) with a chemicals inventory. For emissions to water, the new IED now makes it clearer for industrial installations that the environmental status cannot be worsened when channelling their emissions to urban wastewater treatment plants for further treatment in comparison with releasing the treated water directly to the environment. Also, operators will need to abide by BAT-associated performance levels (BAT-AEPL) which for water use will include limits.
In the long term, the IED has requirements for developing a deep industrial transformation plan for energy-intensive industries as a priority, where operators will describe their plans and investments for decarbonising and enhancing their sites by 2050.
Please consult the relevant indicators and signals below for a more comprehensive overview on the topic.
Zero Pollution Action Plan 2030 target or policy objectives
- Prevent, reduce and as far as possible eliminate pollution arising from industrial activities in compliance with the ‘polluter pays’ principle and the principle of pollution prevention (EU, 2010).
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Other relevant indicators and signals
References and footnotes
- ↵EEA, 2023, ‘Industrial Reporting under the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU and European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Regulation (EC) No 166/2006, version 10.0 December 2023', European Environment Agency (https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/datahub/datahubitem-view/9405f714-8015-4b5b-a63c-280b82861b3d ) accessed May 2024.
- ↵EEA, 2024, ‘Industrial pollutant releases to water in Europe’, European Environment Agency (https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/industrial-pollutant-releases-to-water) accessed May 2024.
- EEC, 1991, Council Directive of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste water treatment (91/271/EEC)↵
- EU, 2000, Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy (OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1-73).↵
- EU, 2010, Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control), (OJ L 334, 17.12.2010, p. 17–119).↵