Emissions to air by Traffic and transport in the Netherlands, 1990-2002*

Among other things, the three-way catalytic converter, the oxidation catalytic converter and cleaner engines have reduced emissions to air of most substances. Emissions of carbon dioxide continue to increase.

		1990	1995	1999	2000	2001	2002*

		million kg
Carbon monoxide (CO)		765	545	469	447	424	414
Road traffic		720	500	421	401	379	369
of which
	passenger cars	600	403	327	307	286	276
	light goods vehicles	54	32	26	24	22	21
	heavy goods vehicles	25	21	19	19	19	19
	motorbikes and mopeds	40	45	49	50	52	54
Other traffic		21	22	24	24	24	24
Mobile machinery		25	22	25	22	21	21

Carbon dioxide (CO2) ¹⁾		30 200	33 100	37 167	37 900	38 100	38 900
Road traffic		23 400	26 200	29 677	30 300	30 700	31 400
of which
	passenger cars	15 300	17 000	18 462	18 700	18 800	19 300
	light goods vehicles	2 120	2 690	3 932	4 300	4 500	4 730
	heavy goods vehicles	5 750	6 310	6 991	6 930	7 020	7 100
	motorbikes and mopeds	234	272	292	305	315	330
Other traffic		4 220	4 550	4 924	5 260	5 230	5 220
Mobile machinery		2 570	2 350	2 566	2 350	2 240	2 240

Volatile organic
compounds (VOC) ²⁾		206	151	124	117	111	108
Road traffic		191	137	108	103	97	94
of which
	passenger cars	150	102	77	71	66	62
	light goods vehicles	14	8.2	6.4	5.9	5.5	5.3
	heavy goods vehicles	10	7.1	5.4	5.0	4.8	4.7
	motorbikes and mopeds	18	19	20	21	21	22
Other traffic		6.2	6.7	7.1	7.2	7.0	6.9
Mobile machinery		8.2	7.5	8.2	7.5	7.2	7.2

Nitrogen oxides(NOx)		375	329	310	303	294	288
Road traffic		267	220	189	184	177	172
of which
	passenger cars	151	109	79	73	66	62
	light goods vehicles	19	19	20	21	21	21
	heavy goods vehicles	97	91	90	91	90	89
	motorbikes and mopeds	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6
Other traffic		67	72	79	81	81	81
Mobile machinery		41	37	41	37	36	36

Particulate matter (PM10) ³⁾		26	22	21	20	19	19
Road traffic		18	14	12	12	11	11
of which
	passenger cars	7.4	5.7	4.9	4.7	4.5	4.4
	light goods vehicles	4.5	3.5	3.2	3.2	3.1	3.0
	heavy goods vehicles	6.1	4.9	3.9	3.6	3.5	3.3
	motorbikes and mopeds	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3
Other traffic		3.6	3.7	4.2	4.3	4.3	4.3
Mobile machinery		4.1	3.7	4.1	3.7	3.6	3.6

Source: CBS.		CBS/EDC/Aug03/0128
¹⁾ Not corrected for temperature. ²⁾ Emissions from both combustion and evaporation. ³⁾ Emissions from both combustion and wear and tear

Developments in emissions of carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds

Since 1980, the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) have declined by 65% and 60% respectively, mainly because of the progressively more stringent European emission requirements for the type approval of motor vehicles.
The requirements for the quality of exhaust gases have ultimately resulted in the application of three-way catalytic converters for passenger cars and delivery vans using petrol and LPG. New diesel passenger cars have, since 1996, been fitted with oxidation catalytic converters. This has been the case for diesel vans since 2000. The requirements for the evaporation of petrol from vehicle fuel systems led to the fitting of carbon filters from 1989 onwards. Between 1990 and 2002, VOC evaporation emissions fell by 30%.

Developments in carbon dioxide emissions

Between 1990 and 2002, the increase in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by road traffic more or less kept pace with the increase in the number of vehicle kilometres. This means that road vehicles have, on average, not become more economical in this period.

Developments in emissions of nitrogen oxides

Following a slight rise in the eighties, emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) have been declining since 1990, on the one hand because of the use of three-way catalytic converters in passenger cars and delivery vans and on the other hand because of the introduction of increasingly clean diesel engines. The latter factor is especially relevant to heavy commercial vehicles. Compared to 1980, emissions of NO_x from road traffic have fallen by more than one third.
Some car manufacturers fit more expensive diesel models with soot filters in order to reduce emissions of particulate matter. The use of exhaust gas recirculation for NO_x has also reduced emissions of particulate matter.

Developments in emissions of particulate matter

Emissions of particulate matter by road traffic fell by 70% between 1980 and 2002. This is mainly attributable to cleaner diesel engines in heavy goods vehicles. Some car manufacturers fit more expensive diesel models with soot filters in order to reduce emissions of particulate matter. The use of exhaust gas recirculation for NO_x has also reduced emissions of particulate matter.

Developments in emissions of sulphur dioxide and lead compounds

Emissions of lead compounds and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) by road traffic have fallen drastically over the years. This is a result of the statutory imposition of the use of unleaded petrol and low-sulphur diesel. An exception here are the SO₂ emissions from ocean-going shipping. These increased by 30% between 1980 and 2002. The share of traffic and transport in total SO2 emissions in the Netherlands is approximately 25%.
Vehicle emissions of lead compounds are now negligible.

Developments in emissions of nitrous oxide

Emissions of nitrous oxide have fallen slightly since 2000. This is a result of the introduction of the latest generation of catalytic converters. Emissions from heavy goods vehicles (diesel) have also fallen because EURO3 engines produce much less N₂O than their predecessors.

Traffic and transport: introduction

Technical note

Traffic and transport also includes mobile machinery such as mobile cranes.

References

CBS (2003). Statline. Emissies door mobiele bronnen, Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
CCDM (2003). Emissiemonitor. Jaarcijfers 2001 en ramingen 2002. Datawarehouse-Emissieregistratie. Coördinatiecommissie Doelgroepmonitoring, The Hague. You can find descriptions of the calculation method in the meta-information of the Emissiemonitor on the Emissieregistratie website.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

Traffic and transport: introduction
Emissions to air by Traffic and transport in the Netherlands, 2002*
Emissions from road traffic in the Netherlands, 2002*
CO2 emissions per vehicle kilometre for passenger cars, 1995-2001, progress CO₂ covenant between the EU and car manufacturers.
Guide to 'Noise and odour nuisance' section for data about the nuisance from traffic and transport.
Guide to societal developments relating to traffic and transport , for, among other things, data about traffic performance, numbers of vehicles and passenger kilometres.
Guide to Environmental theme of Climate change (greenhouse effect)
Guide to Environmental theme of Acidification and transboundary air pollution
Road vehicles in the Netherlands by environmental class, 1986-2002*, for degree of penetration of type-approval requirements for vehicle fleet (EURO standards).

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

More emissions data can be found in Statline (Statistics Netherlands).
Recent emission data and descriptions of the calculation methods used (meta-information) can be viewed in detail on the Data Warehouse of the 'Emissieregistratie' website.