e-Digest Statistics about: Air Quality
Emissions of Nitrogen oxides: 1970-2010
United Kingdom
|
thousand tonnes | ||||||||
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
| Large combustion plants | 939 |
955 |
848 |
342 |
379 |
353 |
359 |
388 |
| Total | 3,125 |
27,64 |
2,968 |
1,899 |
1,721 |
1,659 |
1,620 |
1,595 |
Nitrogen oxides are acid gases and ozone pre-cursors and can affect human health and vegetation. Nitrogen dioxide is thought to have both acute and chronic effects on airways and lung function, particularly in people with asthma.
Total nitrogen oxides emissions fell by 46 per cent between 1990 and 2006 to 1,595 thousand tonnes, mainly as a result of catalytic converters on petrol cars and reductions in emissions from large combustion plants. This compares with targets for 2010 of 1,181 thousand tonnes under the UNECE Gothenburg Protocol and 1,167 thousand tonnes under the EU National Emissions Ceiling Directive.
The EC Large Combustion Plants (LCP) Directive required the UK to reduce NOx emissions by 30 per cent by 1998 against a 1980 baseline. In 1998, LCP emissions were 56 per cent below the 1980 baseline.
From 1991 onwards, actual emissions have been measured for all power stations, refineries and other industrial sources falling within the scope of the LCP Directive. For years up to 1990, emissions from LCPs are derived using National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) estimated emissions.
A revised EC LCP directive 2001/80 comes into force in 2008, placing controls on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from large combustion plants, with such as some coal-fired electricity generation plants, oil refineries and manufacturing sites.
Note: Emissions estimates for the UK are updated annually to reflect revisions in methodology and the availability of new information. These adjustments are applied retrospectively to earlier years and hence there are differences from the data published in previous editions of the booklet.Emissions of Nitrogen oxides by source: 1970-2006
United Kingdom
|
thousand tonnes |
||||||||
|
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
| Road transport |
765 |
989 |
1,324 |
818 |
636 |
596 |
549 |
515 |
| Energy Industries |
1,332 |
936 |
852 |
421 |
465 |
452 |
462 |
466 |
| Other |
1,028 |
839 |
792 |
660 |
620 |
611 |
609 |
613 |
| Total |
3,125 |
2,764 |
2,968 |
1,899 |
1,721 |
1,659 |
1,620 |
1,595 |
The combustion of motor spirit, diesel and coal are the major sources of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. In 2006, road transport accounted for 32 per cent of total emissions, and the energy industries another 29 per cent.
Emissions from road transport peaked at just over 1.33 million tonnes in 1989, since when they have fallen by 61 per cent to under 515 thousand tonnes. Emissions from the energy industries fell by 51 per cent between 1990 and 2000 but they have increased since.
Further Information
- Data Tables:
- Chart 19: Nitrogen oxides emissions and targets: 1970-2010 XLS
- Chart 18 Emissions of Nitrogen oxides by source XLS
- Table 6 Estimated emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by UNECE source category, type of fuel and end user and for large combustion plants (LCPs): 1970-2006 XLS
Your questions and comments about information presented on this page are welcome. Contact information and Email . Copyright of data and/or information presented or attached in this document may not reside solely with this Department. Please see guidance on Copyright.
Page last modified: 13 March 2008
Page published: 13 March 2008