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Stand: 25.01.2011Eurostat publishes new statistics on the use of environmental resources within the EU

Report providing comparative data for eleven categories within the fields of environment and waste management

"Environmental statistics and accounts in Europe" is the title of a new report published by Eurostat. It provides comparative information on the use of environmental resources in the EU member states, dividing it into the following categories:

• Use of resources in households
• Material flow within the economy
• Waste
• Water
• Air emissions
• Chemicals
• Biodiversity and use of land
• Agro-ecological indicators
• Forests
• Expenses for environmental protection
• Eco-taxes.

Form and degree of wastes reacting on the environment depend on the quantity and composition of waste streams and on the applied waste treatment. Inappropriate handling of waste has already led to soil and ground water contamination. The Eurostat report comes to the conclusion that the generation of waste is a sign for the inefficient use of resources.

Environmental statistics are an important instrument, indicating the still quite uneven development of waste management systems within the EU. Among others, environmental statistics are used by the European Commission as a tool for the definition of new targets.

The report is available for download on the Eurostat website (in English language): http//ebb.eurostatt.ec.europa.eu