The information is provided by nearly 5,000 enterprises which are subject to reporting their emissions in accordance with the European PRTR Regulation. The types of companies that have a reporting obligation are power plants, refineries, chemical companies, the food industry, as well as landfills and wastewater treatment plants. These companies are obliged to report their emissions either when they exceed a certain total volume, if they emit significant amounts of a pollutant or if they dispose of a great deal of waste off-site. The PRTR Regulation also establishes emission thresholds for air, water, soil and also for wastewater effluent at off-site treatment facilities. Operators also have reporting duties if they dispose of at least two tons of hazardous waste per year or more than 2,000 tons of non-hazardous waste.
The transparency of PRTR data promotes knowledge of environmental protection. For example, data quality has been improved by filling gaps in data - which results when an inquiry is made about why a certain company is not listed. Many users apply the data in independent research or incorporate it into other reports. The software that companies use to record their data and which is then forwarded to the authorities is called BUBE. Its development is the result of a project co-financed by the Länder and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). The reported data is then reviewed by the appropriate authorities. “There will soon be more information on emissions from the traffic sector and agriculture,” said UBA’s Vice-President Dr. Thomas Holzmann. “The launch of the Thru.de portal is merely one step towards becoming more credible and more transparent in the area of environmental protection.“
The new portal is remarkable because of its user-friendly design, which is informative und pleasing to the eye. In addition to modern design, Thru.de features an optimized map, advanced search functions and background information. Its design and interactive map were developed in a contest by students of design at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. The site unites easy navigation and clear page layout with attractive, accessible colours and expressive graphics. The map can be zoomed in or out to show comprehensive information on the number and sector which industries operate in at Land or county level, thereby allowing comparisons between regions. A local or advanced search on the subject of “emissions in brief,” which enables a quick overview of emissions in individual industrial sectors, rounds off what the portal has to offer. All of the data available on thru.de can be downloaded and is available to the general public.
