Emission Inventories
Pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTRs), commonly known as inventories, are national, publicly accessible central stores of information about the releases and movement (or transfer) of pollutants from industry sources.
They are a key tool used by government, industry, researchers and the general public in:
- Setting priorities and policies;
- Developing legislation and regulations;
- Promoting environmental awareness and improvement; and,
- Monitoring progress in reducing pollutant emissions.
They enable residents and those involved in the management of the environment to access information on the releases and transfers of key pollutants in their communities and to be part of a more informed and collaborative dialogue.
National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI)
Canada's pollutant release and transfer register is called the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). Established in 1992 and legislated under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act in 1999, the NPRI has been an essential tool used to educate Canadians and their governments about pollution released into our environment.
The NPRI and its US counterpart, the US Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), share much comparable data as does the pollutant register for Mexico which was recently established on June 3, 2004 (for more information about the Mexican pollutant registry visit their Environmental Ministry website).
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) which was set up to complement the environmental provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), compares the information contained in these registries in their annual “Taking Stock” reports.
Air Pollutant Emissions
The Air Pollutant Emissions Web site provides a summary of emissions of criteria air contaminants across the country. Data include releases from different sectors as well as from non-regulated sources, such as transportation.
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
In addition to the NPRI, Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory is prepared and submitted by Environment Canada in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are estimated in the annual National Inventory Report (NIR) are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The NIR includes an analysis of GHG trends, factors affecting those trends, and detailed descriptions of the methods, models and procedures used to develop, and verify the data.
