Informative Inventory Report 2017 : Emissions of transboundary air pollutants in the Netherlands 1990-2015

Increase in ammonia emissions; whole time series adjusted downwards. In 2015 slightly more ammonia was emitted than in 2014 and the ceiling set by the European Union was met (128 kilotons). It was more because both cattle numbers and fertilizer use increased, whereas low emission housing systems for pigs and poultry partly countered this. Furthermore, total ammonia emissions between 1990 and 2015 have been adjusted downwards. This is because new insights have been made into the data used to calculate emissions, called emission factors. For example, from 2008 onwards, the annual amount of ammonia emitted by fertilizer use was 4 kilotons lower than previously calculated. The new insights were recommended by an international scientific review, performed at the request of the Minister for Agriculture. Emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxides and non-methane volatile organic compounds continue to decrease slightly; the Netherlands are, therefore, complying with the ceilings in this regard. Besides the substances mentioned above, the report also includes emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. The emissions of most of these substances have decreased during the 1990 - 2015 period. The downward trend may, in particular, be attributed to cleaner fuels, cleaner car engines and to emission reductions in industry. This is concluded by the Informative Inventory Report 2017, drawn up by RIVM and partner institutes which collaborate to annually analyse and report emission data. This is obligatory to member states. The analyses are used to support Dutch policy.