ESTONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2009

Since 2000, Estonia has kept statistics on particulate
matter with an aerodynamic diameter of under 10
micrometers (PM 10
) as well as particulate matter under 2.5
micrometers in diameter (PM 2.5
). Even though emissions
of respirable fraction particles (PM 2.5
) in the first years
that statistics were recorded (2000–2002) grew 8.6% in
connection with increased emissions in transport and
the manufacturing industry, the trend for PM 10
and PM 2.5
declined until 2006 (figure 5.8). In 2007 emissions of PM 10
and PM 2.5
grew fairly suddenly as the amount of oil shale
burned in the energy sector grew.
Pursuant to the NEC programme C the goal set for 2010
was to reduce PM 10
emissions to 17,330 tonnes and PM 2.5
emissions to 14,770 tonnes. By 2015 emissions must fall
to 16,520 and 14,640 tonnes, respectively.
Comparing Estonia in terms of fine particle emission
to other European Union countries on a per capita basis,
Estonia cannot be satisfied with its result as PM 10
emissions
per capita exceed the average level of the EL 25 D
countries more than threefold even though total emissions
in 2006 accounted for less than 1% of the amount of
PM 10
discharged into the ambient air by the 25 European
Union countries (figure 5.9).
300
250
emissions, thousands of tonnes
200
150
100
50
0
282
281
252
199
178
137
126
103
91
89
77
75
55
51
48
40
30
38
25.51
23.34
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2010 2015
Figure 5.6. Emissions of total particulate matter from 1990–2007 (total) and targets pursuant to the NEC programme for 2010 and 2015.
Data: EEIC.
non-industrial combustion 4%
combustion in the
manufacturing industry 32%
other pollution sources 3%
other pollution sources 16%
combustion in the
energy sector 39%
1990 2007
combustion in the
energy sector 61%
combustion in the
manufacturing industry 8%
non-industrial combustion 37%
Figure 5.7. Total particulate matter emissions by sources of pollution in 1990 and 2007.
Other sources of pollution: various industrial processes, road transport, mobile pollution sources, distribution of fuel (at terminals, filling
stations, gaseous fuel distribution) and agriculture. Data: EEIC.
74
C
NEC programme – the main objective of the programme is to reduce emissions of pollutants into ambient air and to protect human health and the environment from the harmful
effect of pollutants pursuant to international obligations arising from the Geneva Conventions and protocols thereto as well as to requirements of EU legal acts. For more, visit http://
www.envir.ee/462236
D
The 25 countries of the European Union – EU member states not including Bulgaria and Greece, as there are no data for these countries.