Publication of the report "Environmental pressures from industry’s heavy metal pollution"

A new EEA briefing on emissions of eight key heavy metals – arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc – from large industrial facilities in Europe show a rapid decline in their associated environmental pressures. From 2010 to 2016, environmental pressures caused by industrial emissions to air decreased by 39% while pressures caused by emissions to water decreased by 34%.

Reducing concentrations of heavy metals in air, water and soil is important because of these substances’ potential harm to people and eco-systems. Harmful effects of heavy metals include, for example, disrupting nutrient cycles in plants, and causing development and reproduction disorders in animals and humans.