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Division Substances, Soil, Biotechnology. An overview on SwissPRTR Pollutant Release and Transfer Register. May 2009. Definition and Scope. The SwissPRTR is Switzerland’s publicly accessible Pollutant Release and Transfer Register It provides information
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Division Substances, Soil, Biotechnology An overview on SwissPRTRPollutant Release and Transfer Register May 2009
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 Point sources and diffuse sources Reported data from facilities Calculated data from authorities
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 SwissPRTR - History 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 Kiev Protocol Ordinance Pilot Study Data entry
Who has to report? Waste incineration plant • Energy industries • Production and processing of metals • Mineral industry • Chemicals industry • Waste and waste water management • Paper and wood production and processing • Intensive livestock production and acquaculture • Animal and vegetable products from the food and beverage sector • Other industrial activities (textiles, printing, surface treatment)
What has to be reported? • Releases of 86 pollutants (listed on next page) • into air • into water • into soils • Transfer of 86 pollutants in waste water • Transfer of waste >2000 t • Transfer of hazardous waste > 2 t Waste water treatment plant
Facility FOEN Canton Public PRTR Data handling The facilities enter the data into internet database. The facilities are responsible for the data quality. months Data entry by facilities 6 Data validation by regional authorities 3 Data validation by federal authorities 3 Data export for public database 1-3
Schedule 2008 2009 2010 Q1 Q1 Q4 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q2 Q3 Reporting Period Data entry by companies Data validation by authorities Publication on the internet Public 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 demo Field of activity
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 Georg.Karlaganis@bafu.admin.ch Tel. +41 79 415 99 62 Dr. Christoph Moor Christoph.Moor@bafu.admin.ch Tel. +41 31 322 93 84 Helpmail: swissprtr@bafu.admin.ch Homepage: www.environment-switzerland.ch/swissprtr