Emissions of transboundary air pollutants in the Netherlands 1990-2009 : Informative Inventory Report 2011

Abstract

Emissions of air pollutants in the Netherlands decreased between 1990 and 2009. This concerns sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), carbon monoxide, ammonia, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POP's). The downward trend may be attributed in particular to cleaner fuels, cleaner car engines and to emission reductions in the industrial sectors. This has become apparent in the RIVM's explanation of the emission data submission, the Informative Inventory Report (IIR) 2011. Every year the Emission Inventory team - under direction of the RIVM - submits emission data to the government, for it to meet its obligations to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the European Commission. The emission data set consists of data on a series of years, from 1990 up to the most recently submitted data. For this submission, the ammonia emission data series was calculated using a new model, which includes improved emission reduction measures, more in line with actual measurements. Results of the new model give rise to considerably higher NH3 emissions in the base year 1990. After 1991 they turned out to be lower. For the year 2008 the difference was 7.6 Gg. The reduction is mostly due to the change in manure application method (i.e. incorporation in the soil instead of surface spreading). Consequently less ammonia is volatilized. Furthermore, new sources of nitrogen oxides were distinguished and methods were developed to calculate their emissions. These emissions come from manure on agricultural soils and from manure storage. Emissions from agricultural soils for the year 2009 are calculated to amount to 25.5 Gg NOx. This is about 10% of the maximum allowed emissions of NOx in the Netherlands, the 'NECceiling' (National Emission Ceiling). The amount is, however, not included for compliance to this ceiling (they are reported under memo-item 11C 'Natural emissions' in the submission). This is because, the methods were not known, when the ceilings were determined.