Emissions to surface waters ETC technical report Task Leader = Joost van den Roovaart (Deltares) Project Manager = Caroline Whalley (EEA) http://icm.eionet.europa.eu/ETC_Reports/EmissionsOfPollutantsToEuropeanWaters_SourcesPathwaysAndTrends

Technical report aimed at informed audience. Overview of report Provide an overview of emissions to water at the European level for nutrients, organic matter, and priority substances. Main data source was E-PRTR*: Major point sources e.g. urban waste water treatment plants (UWWTPs) and industry, and diffuse sources e.g. agriculture, atmospheric deposition and traffic. Technical report aimed at informed audience. * European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (EC) 166/2006

Contents Emission sources, pathways and pollutants European policy and data requirements Emissions from industry Emissions from urban waste water treatment plants (UWWTPs) Emissions from diffuse sources Synthesis and outlook Annexes

Basis for definitions of sources and pathways EC Technical Report - 2012 – 058, https://circabc.europa.eu/sd/a/6a3fb5a0-4dec-4fde-a69d-5ac93dfbbadd/Guidance%20document%20n28.pdf https://circabc.europa.eu/w/browse/a3c92123-1013-47ff-b832-16e1caaafc9a

Percentages of release reports in EPRTR, excluding UWWTPs 2007-14 Pollutants with the largest number of reported releases Release reports per sector Total no. release reports 2007-14 was 126 982, of which 67 055 were from industry

Pollutants with the largest number of release reports, UWWTPs, 2007-2014 Total no. release reports 2007-14 was 126 982, of which 67 055 were from industry

Sectoral contribution (%) to release to surface water for most-frequently reported pollutants in E-PRTR, excluding UWWTPs (2007-2014)

Sectoral contribution (kg) to release to surface water for most-frequently reported pollutants in E-PRTR, excluding UWWTPs (2007-2014)

% contribution from 5 UWWTPs with highest releases, 2007-2014

Trends of relative releases to water of nutrients, TOC and metals in E-PRTR (2007-14) excluding UWWTPs UWWTPs 2007 = 1

Trend of releases to surface water – 8 most frequently reported pollutants, 2007-2014 (top = excluding UWWTPs; bottom = UWWTPs) Blue = reduction Red = increase Numbers of releases in parentheses – left = 2007, right = 2014

Trend of releases to surface water – other reported pollutants, excluding UWWTPs, 2007-2014 Blue = reduction Red = increase Numbers of releases in parentheses – left = 2007, right = 2014

Trend of releases to surface water – other reported pollutants, UWWTPs, 2007-2014 Blue = reduction Red = increase Numbers of releases in parentheses – left = 2007, right = 2014

Total nitrogen releases to surface water per activity sector for four European regions in 2007, 2010 and 2014 (kilotonnes/year), excluding UWWTPs

Zinc releases to surface water per activity sector for four European regions in 2007, 2010 and 2014 (ton/year), excluding UWWTPs

Trend of pollutant releases from UWWTPs for 5 European regions in 2007, 2010 and 2014. Nutrients and Total organic carbon in kilotonnes/year, metals in ton/year

Potentially missing releases for pollutants, UWWTPs > 100 000 p. e Potentially missing releases for pollutants, UWWTPs > 100 000 p.e. (E-PRTR 2013). Reported E-PRTR releases = 1 Roovaart et al, 2016

Estimated releases from UWWTPs not reported in EPRTR Sum of quantified potentially missing releases of UWWTPs > 100 000 p.e. and quantified releases of smaller UWWTPs <100 000 p.e. (green) compared with releases of UWWTPs reported under E-PRTR (blue, where quantity reported under EPRTR =1)

Overview of combined releases for 8 most reported pollutants, compared with releases from Industry & UWWTPs reported under E-PRTR reported E-PRTR releases = 1

Gaps in emissions data Lack of data regarding the production capacity of the facilities related to the different activities, other than for UWWTPs. Missing UWWTPs > 100 000 p.e. in E-PRTR and non-reported pollutants from UWWTPs appear to represent considerable gap. UWWTPs < 100 000 p.e. do not have to report under E-PRTR, but contribution to total UWWTP releases is expected to be relevant. A quantification method based on emission factors is available. For most key pollutants, the contribution of the diffuse sources to the total release to water greatly exceeds the contribution of the point sources. Most countries do not report on diffuse sources, or only for a few sources and pollutants.

Conclusions Comparison of national inventories on emissions to water is hampered by differences in definitions (sources, pathways), methods, reporting timeframes, formats and thresholds High percentage of release reports related to small set of pollutants (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total organic carbon (TOC), arsenic, copper, lead, nickel and zinc). Small percentage of both industrial facilities and UWWTPs are responsible for large percentage of releases of the 8 most reported pollutants Reported E-PRTR releases seem only to represent limited part of total releases to water. Considerable effort made to quantify diffuse emissions to water, but there is very limited reporting. For most key pollutants the contribution of diffuse sources to total releases to water greatly exceeds the contribution of point sources

Thanks for listening Caroline.whalley@eea.europa.eu ETC task leader – Joost van den Roovaart (Deltares) Nanette van Duijnhoven (Deltares) Hana Prchalová (Cenia) Benoit Fribourg-Blanc and Sonia Siauve (Oieau)