an overview on swissprtr pollutant release and transfer register

Federal Department of the Environment,Transport, Energy and Communications DETEC

Federal Office for the Environment FOEN

An overview on SwissPRTR

Pollutant Release and Transfer Register

May 2009

Division Substances, Soil, Biotechnology

2 Introduction SwissPRTR May 2009Ch. Moor

Definition and Scope

The SwissPRTR is Switzerland’s publicly accessible Pollutant Release and Transfer Register

It provides information • on releases of specific

pollutants to air, water or land

• on transfers of waste• on transfers of pollutants in

waste water


Benefits for the public

The SwissPRTR …• creates transparency and allows the identification of

national, regional and local correlations

• creates environmental awareness, facilitates participation in environment-related decision-making and encourages communication

• helps to reduce releases of pollutants and thus provides sustainable support to the precautionary principle


Benefits for industrial facilities

The SwissPRTR contributes to …• creating transparency

• providing a basis for management decisions

• improving eco-efficiency and productivity

• compliance with social responsibilities in relation to employees and the general public

• the sustainable development of production facilities


Benefits for authorities

The SwissPRTR is …• the basis for devising long-term strategies and

instruments for the control of releases of pollutants as well as transfers of waste and of pollutants in waste water

• a management instrument that contributes to the sustainable management of pollutant releases, transfers of waste and transfers of pollutants in waste water


Releases to air

Recording releases from facilities(specific sources)

Recording releases from many small and scattered sources (diffuse sources)

Releases to land Releases to water

Reported data from facilities

Calculated data from authorities

Point sources and diffuse sources


SwissPRTR - History

Pre-Pilot Study 1997

Pilot Study 2000/2001

UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers 2003

Ordinance on PRTR 2006

Internet-based database 2008

1:1


SwissPRTR Working Group

• Representatives from • Industry • Associations• NGOs• National and regional

authorities

• Two meetings per year

• Contributed to …• Ordinance on PRTR• Training and

documentation• Software and data

handling

Working Group Members

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Who has to report?

1. Energy industries

2. Production and processing of metals

3. Mineral industry

4. Chemicals industry

5. Waste and waste water management

6. Paper and wood production and processing

7. Intensive livestock production and acquaculture

8. Animal and vegetable products from the food and beverage sector

9. Other industrial activities (textiles, printing, surface treatment)

Waste incineration plant


What has to be reported?

1. Releases of 86 pollutants (listed on next page)• into air• into water• into soils

2. Transfer of 86 pollutants in waste water

3. Transfer of waste >2000 t

4. Transfer of hazardous waste > 2 t

Waste water treatment plant


Data handling

The facilities enter the data into internet database. The facilities are responsible for the data quality.

months

Data entry by facilities 6Data validation by regional authorities 3Data validation by federal authorities 3Data export for public database 1-3

Facility CantonPublic PRTR

FOEN


Schedule20082008 20092009 20102010

Q1Q1 Q4Q4Q3Q3Q2Q2 Q1Q1 Q4Q4Q3Q3Q2Q2 Q1Q1 Q4Q4Q3Q3Q2Q2

Reporting PeriodReporting Period

Data validation by authoritiesData validation by authorities

Publication on the internetPublication on the internet

Data entry by companiesData entry by companies

Public access 10 yearsPublic access 10 years


Access for the public: explanations

• Glossary for pollutants and technical terms

• Explanation of register and data in „FAQ“

• Comments on actual data, changes and trends

• General information on the purpose of the PRTR

Internet site and printed flyer


Database query: selection by…

Year

Facility and Owner

Localization

Field of activity

demo


Results in tables

Selection by filters

Data table, can be sorted


Software for geographical search

Map for selection

Overview table for selected area;with links to data table


PRTR as an international commitment

Switzerland takes part in the following bodies:• UNECE Working group on PRTRs• International PRTR Coordinating Group (UNITAR,

UNEP, UNECE)• OECD Task force on PRTRs• Steering committee for the UNITAR Project

„POPs monitoring, reporting and information dissemination using PRTRs“


Contacts SwissPRTR

Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, CH- 3003 Bern Prof. Dr. Georg Karlaganis [email protected] Tel. +41 79 415 99 62

Dr. Christoph [email protected] Tel. +41 31 322 93 84

Homepage: www.environment-switzerland.ch/swissprtr

Helpmail: [email protected]

an overview on swissprtr pollutant release and transfer register

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