Emissions to air, origin and destination; national accounts 1990-2013

Table explanation


This table presents the air emission accounts, as a part of the environmental accounts compiled by Statistics Netherlands annually. The air emission accounts show where the air pollutants and gases observed in the air stem from (the origin) and where they go (the destination). Hereby the emission of pollutants and gases from both stationary sources (such as power plants) as well as from mobile sources (such as road transport) are allocated to the different industries and to households.
Table selections can be made that show the size of the emissions to the air per substance, per year, by economic activity (including households). Air pollutants among others include greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), gases that cause ozone layer depleting (CFCs) and acidifying substances (SO2, NOx and NH3).
As the data in environmental accounts is compiled according similar concepts (such as the resident principle) and classifications as the economic data in the national accounts, it is possible to quantify the environmental effects of the economic activities for Netherlands in a consistent manner.

Data available from: 1990-2013
As of 15 January 2016, this table is discontinued. Figures have been recalculated according to a new method. A link to the new table Emissions to air, origin ands destination; national accounts can be found in chapter 3.

Status of the figures:
Figures are provisional. To obtain coherent and consistent time series for the full range of data figures are recaclculated every year.The latest insights, in particular with regard to emission factors, are taken into account.

Changes as of 15 January 2016:
None, this is a discontinued table.

Changes as of July 8, 2015:
The figures of services from stationary sources were wrongly calculated. These are now corrected. The whole timeseries has been adjusted.

When will new figures be published?
Not applicable.

Description topics

Climate change (Greenhouse gases)
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere retain part of the solar heat that reaches the earth. The increased concentration of greenhouse gases means more heat is retained and the temperature of the earth's surface rises.
This is called the 'enhanced greenhouse effect'. The most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), laughing gas (N2O), HFCs, PFCs and SF6.
CO2
Carbon dioxide.
CO2 is formed by the combustion of carbon in fuels.
Greenhouse gas (causes the temperature of the earth's atmosphere to rise gradually).
N2O
Laughing gas/dinitrogen oxide.
N2O is formed during various chemical conversion processes, among which during the warming up phase of catalytic converters, as a result of incomplete conversion of nitrogen oxides (NOx) into nitrogen (N2).
Greenhouse gas (causes the temperature of the earth's atmosphere to rise gradually).
CH4
Methane (= natural gas).
Among other causes CH4 is formed by incomplete combustion of fuels, leakage from the natural gas network, and by fermentation.
Greenhouse gas (causes the temperature of the earth's atmosphere to rise gradually).
Greenhouse gas equivalent
A measure of the degree to which a substance contributes to the greenhouse effect. A greenhouse gas equivalent equals the effect that the emission of 1 kilogram of carbon dioxide (CO2) has, as a reference. The emission of 1 kg of methane is equal to 21 greenhouse gas equivalents, and the emission of 1 kg of nitrous oxide gas equal to 310 greenhouse gas equivalents.
The fluorine (chlorine) gases each have a high CO2 equivalent, but because the emitted quantities are relatively small, their contribution to the national total small.
Acidification
Process which causes the acidification of soil and water as a result of the emission of polluting substances like NOx, SO2, NH3 and VOS (volatile organic substances) into the air and their consequent penetration into water and soil. Acidifying substances are included under the environmental theme "large-scale air pollution".
NOx
Nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO and NO2, calculated as NO2).
Causes acidification and contribute to generate smog.
SO2
Sulphur dioxide (SO2 and SO3, calculated as SO2).
SO2 is formed by the combustion of sulphur in fuels.
SO2 contribute to acidification.
NH3
Ammonia (NH3).
NH3 is formed in particular during natural processes and also, to a lesser degree, during the combustion of fuels and during specific industrial processes. The main source is manure.
NH3 contribute to acidification.
Acidification equivalent
Measure to express the extent to which a substance contributes to the acidification of the environment. One acidification equivalent is equal to one mole H+. The emission of one kg NOx is equal to 21.7 acidification equivalents, the emission of one 1 kg SO2 is equal to 31.3 acidification equivalents, and the emission of one 1 kg NH3 is equal to 58.8 acidification equivalents.
Ozone layer depletion
Depletion of the ozone layer as a result of emissions of CFCs and halons to air, converted to CFC12 equivalents.
CFK12-equivalent
Depletion of the ozone layer as a result of emissions of CFCs and halons to air, converted to CFC12 equivalents. The conversion factors are based on the extent to which the different CFCs and halons affect the stratospheric ozone layer.
(Other) air pollution
Besides acidifying substances, a number of other air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and particulate matter, contribute to the environmental theme: 'Acidification and trans boundary air pollution'.
Included here, some individual air pollutants, that are not classified and allocated to one of the other themes. These include the emissions of Fine dust (PM10) and carbon monoxide (CO) into the air.
CO
Carbon monoxide.
CO is caused by incomplete combustion of fuels.
Toxic gas (detrimental to health).
NMVOC
Non-methane volatile organic compounds.
Among others caused by incomplete combustion of fuels and evaporation of fuels, cooling agents, inland vessel load residues, and other chemical substances. VOC emissions are also formed during various industrial processes.
Smog generating and sometimes carcinogenic.
PM10
Particulate matter (PM10 = particulates with diameter less than 10 micrometres). Among other causes, PM10 is formed during the combustion of diesel fuel, other fuels, various industrial processes, and wear processes like the wear of tyres, brake linings, road surface, and railway overhead contact lines.
PM10 is detrimental to health, penetrates deeply into the lungs.
Fine dust equivalent
Solely the fine dust (PM10) emissions are included in here.