Every year Australian industrial facilities that use above specified amounts of the 93 NPI substances must estimate and report their emissions to their state or territory environment agency. These agencies review all NPI data for accuracy and forward the data to the Australian Government for publication on the NPI web site.
Since reporting started in 1999, the number of facilities reporting has trebled.
Facilities are grouped into industry sectors using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) codes. This helps facilities to compare their results against other facilities in the same ANZSIC code, and for the community to track emissions from different industries.
The information below provides a snapshot of different industry sectors that make products and provide services that are used by all members of the Australian community. You can obtain this information from the new NPI data available on the NPI web site.
For more information about changes in reported emissions and emission reduction activities go to:
Petroleum refining
- A total of ten facilities in the petroleum refining sector reported on 46 substances in the 2006-07 reporting year.
- The petroleum refining activities covered by this sector include oil refining, storage, handling and wastewater treatment.
- The petroleum refining sector is a major emitter of n-Hexane, ethylbenzene, biphenyl and cumene (1-methyethylbenzene).
- In the past year this sector reported decreased emissions in benzene, carbon monoxide, chlorine and formaldehyde. For some other substances, such as total volatile organic compounds and sulfuric acid reported emissions increased.
- This sector reports emissions to air, land and water.
Emissions from petroleum refining
Basic chemical manufacturing
- A total of 112 facilities in the basic chemical manufacturing sector reported on 71 substances in the 2006-07 reporting year.
- Facilities in this sector manufacture chemicals for use in the food, pharmaceutical, paper, carpet, automotive, building, hygiene and other industries.
- This sector is a major emitter of ethylene oxide, dichloromethane, di(2-Ethylhexhl) phthalate, acetic acid, vinyl chloride monomer, acrylic acid and nitric acid . This reporting year emissions of ethylene oxide, dichloromethane, nitric acid, and methyl methacrylate from this sector have all shown a decrease compared to the previous year.
- Out of the 71 substances reported by the basic chemical manufacturing sector, approximately half have decreased in the 2006-07 reporting year.
- This sector reports emissions to air, land and water.
Emissions from basic chemical manufacturing
Printing and printing support services
- A total of 39 facilities in the printing and printing support services sector reported on 27 substances in the 2006-07 reporting year compared to 40 facilities reporting on 26 substances in 2005-06.
- This sector is a major emitter of ethyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone.
- Reported emissions of ethyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone showed a decrease compared to the previous year.
- Facilities in the printing and services to printing sector mainly report emissions to air.
- These facilities are engaged in a range of printing, packaging and publishing activities.
Emissions from printing and services to printing
Alumina production
- Facilities in this sector produce alumina from refined bauxite.
- Six facilities in the alumina production sector reported on 37 substances in the 2006-07 reporting year.
- 45% of substance emissions reported in this sector showed an increase in 2006-07, including n-Hexane, hydrochloric acid and sulfur dioxide.
- Facilities in the alumina production mainly report emissions to air, with a small amount going to land and water.
Emissions from alumina production
Why do emission levels vary?
Emissions levels of a particular substance may vary because the number of facilities reporting their emissions may vary, or there are changes in factory levels of production, improved environmental performance, changes to the process, installation of pollution control equipment such as fabric filters, and updated estimation techniques.
What are emission reduction activities?
One of the main goals of the NPI is to encourage facilities to reduce substance emissions and decrease waste. Reporting facilities have the option of reporting on cleaner production activities and pollution control developments that they have undertaken during the reporting year. Since NPI reporting started, 1245 facilities have provided information on their emission reduction activities.
The most common reduction techniques are: improving maintenance scheduling, record-keeping or procedures; and implementing inspection or monitoring programs for potential spill or leak sources. The most common types of pollution control equipment reported are scrubbers and fabric filters.
