Environmental protection expenditure, 2000

The basic metals industry and the pulp and paper industry invested the most in environmental protection, measured both in terms of kroner and in terms of per cent of gross investments in the individual industries. Almost 21 per cent, or NOK 330 million, was invested by the basic metals industry in environmental protection measures. The corresponding values in the pulp and paper industry were 24 per cent and NOK 219 million (the values for the pulp and paper industry have a number of uncertainties and could be adjusted).

Although the investment amounts were not as large, the proportion of gross investment for environmental protection measures was large in the paint and varnishes industry, 22 per cent, and in the recycling industry, 17 per cent. In most cases, however, this type of investment accounted for only about 1-2 per cent of an industry's gross investment.

The manufacturing industry invested a total of NOK 782 million in equipment that reduces pollutant emissions (also called "end-of-pipe" investments or external process investments). This type of equipment is external to the production process and treats, prevents, controls or measures pollution. The other NOK 12 million were investments made by the mining and quarrying industry.

Largest investment focuses on air emissions

The investments are also classified according to the domain to which the investment is primarily focused: air/climate, wastewater (including production water), waste, noise and other. 35 per cent of environmental protection investment was made to reduce air emissions. The corresponding values for wastewater and waste were 15 and 11 per cent, respectively.

Please note that these statistics do not include all types of environmental protection investments in the manufacturing and the mining and quarrying industries. Investments in new or modified production processes where environmental protection equipment are integrated into the main production processes are more difficult to define and therefore to obtain cost estimates. These types of investments are not included in these current statistics.

Tables:

• Table 1 Environmental protection investment in pollution treatment equipment (end-of-pipe) in Manufacturing, Mining and Quarrying. 2000