Ammonia emissions by Agriculture and horticulture in the Netherlands, 1980-2002

		1980	1990	1995	1999	2000	2001	2002*
		million kg
Total		220	223	179	153	139	129	123
Manure		204	210	166	141	128	120	114
of which	stables and manure depots	77	89	89	79	73	64	61
	manure spreading	114	105	62	51	45	46	44
	pasturage	14	16	14	11	10	10	10
Fertiliser		15	13	13	12	11	9	9
		%
Change compared to 1980		100	101	81	70	63	59	56
Source: CCDM (2003).						RIVM/EDC/Nov03
* provisional figures

Ammonia emissions from Agriculture and horticulture continue to fall

The Agriculture and horticulture sector is emitting less and less ammonia (NH₃). In 2002, emissions fell by 5% compared to 2001.
The fall in ammonia emissions from Agriculture and horticulture is a result of the low-emission approach to spreading manure. A survey conducted as part of the 2000 Landbouwtelling ('Agricultural Census') showed that virtually all manure spreading was conducted using a low-emission approach (CBS, 2001). In 1980, Agriculture and horticulture applied all manure on the surface. The 2001 survey showed that approximately 15% of all pigs are housed in low-emission accommodation.
Between 1980 and 1990, the increases in ammonia emissions and nitrogen excretions from all farm animals followed the same pattern. As a result of the low-emission approach to manure spreading, ammonia emissions have fallen faster than nitrogen excretion since 1990.

• Nitrogen and phosphate in manure and fertiliser in the Netherlands, 1980-2001

Policy

There is a maximum emission target for ammonia emissions from agriculture and other sources combined of 128 million kg for 2010 (UN-ECE, 1999). Total emissions of ammonia in the Netherlands in 2002* amounted to 138 million kg. Total emissions in 2002 were therefore 10 million kg above the EU ceiling of 128 million kg.
The target set by national government is lower. The ammonia emission target stated in the fourth National Environmental Policy Plan (VROM, 2001) is 100 million kg NH₃ for 2010.

References

• CBS (2001). Landbouwtelling 2000; toediening van dierlijke mest. Losbladige uitkomsten. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg.
• CCDM (2003). Emissiemonitor. Jaarcijfers 2001 en ramingen 2002. Rapportagereeks MilieuMonitor, no. 7. Coördinatiecommissie Doelgroepmonitoring, The Hague.
• UNECE (1999). Protocol accompanying the 1979 Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, Gothenburg, 30-11-99 (Trb. 2000, 66) Gothenburg Protocol Web Page.
• Hoek, K.W. van der (2002). Uitgangspunten voor de mest- en ammoniakberekeningen 1999 tot en met 2001 zoals gebruikt in de Milieubalans 2001 en 2002, inclusief dataset landbouwemissies 1980-2001. RIVM (report no. 773 004 013), Bilthoven.
• Steenvoorden, J.H.A.M., W.J. Bruins, et al. (1999). Monitoring van nationale ammoniakemissies uit de landbouw. Op weg naar een verbeterde rekenmethodiek. Reeks Milieuplanbureau 6. DLO-Staringcentrum, Wageningen.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Ammonia emissions in the Netherlands from manure and fertiliser, 1980 and 2000
• Ammonia emissions in the Netherlands from manure and fertiliser, 1980 and 2000
• Emissions to air by agriculture and horticulture in the Netherlands, 1990-2002*
• Acidifying substances: emissions by target sector in the Netherlands, 1990-2002*
• Acid deposition in the Netherlands, 1980-2001
• Nitrogen deposition in the Netherlands, 2001
• Guide to Environmental theme of Acidification and transboundary air pollution

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

• Recent emission data can be viewed in detail on the Data Warehouse of the 'Emissieregistratie'. This site also provides information about the methods for determining emission data and information about changes to methodology.