There are between 8,000 and 10,000 different chemical substances on the Norwegian market.

• About 3,000 of these are classified and labelled as harmful to health or the environment (List of Dangerous Substances)     
• About 250 substances have been targeted for special attention by the environmental authorities (the Observation List)     
• 30 substances or groups of substances have been given special priority by the authorities and will be phased out or subjected to considerable reductions (the Priority List - in Norwegian)

Emissions to air, water and soil
The new SFT report shows the national emissions of 25 hazardous substances in 1995 and 2001 to air, water and soil  and forecasts emission trends forward to 2005/2010. The report contains information about each substance, describing the present status as well as emission reduction measures that have been implemented or are planned.

Reduced emissions from industry
Reduced industrial emissions now mean industry is not the main source of emissions of most of the priority substances due to installations of abatement techniques and process optimalisation. In addition some polluting plants have been closed down. The contribution from activities on the continental shelf is small. Offshore the use of products causes in many cases the largest emissions.The impact of long-range transport of lead, cadmium and mercury to Norway today is equivalent to or larger than the national emissions.

• Pentachlorophenol, short-chained chloroparaffins, nonyl- and octylphenoles and their ethoxylates: With these substances either prohibited or their use subject to stringent regulations, emissions have fallen by 60 to 90 per cent. Further reductions are expected in the years to come as a result of these measures. 
• PCB:  Emissions of PCB are difficult to calculate, so the reduction targeted by the measures is therefore followed up by estimating the remaining amount of PCB in use. In Norway, new use of PCB has been prohibited since 1980, but leaks from waste products, as well as from landfills and polluted sediments, are persistent sources of dispersal. About 70 per cent of the PCB amount in electrical equipment, laminated glass seals etc., has now been taken out of use. A substantial effort is being made to follow up measures requiring both that the use is discontinued swiftly and that waste containing PCB is treated in a secure manner. The environmental authorities hope the measures that are being implemented, through regulations, agreements and the distribution of information, will ensure that most PCB usage will have been discontinued by 2005. To prevent further leakage, sources of PCB will be followed up closely at landfills, polluted soil and sediments.  
• Selected tensides: Certain tensides that are harmful to the environment have been discontinued in the vast majority of applications as a result of international agreements. Some tensides continue to be used, and further measures will be assessed in the context of the work the EU is doing on tensides.

• Lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, dioxins, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene and tributyl lead: The emissions of these substances will be reduced due to implementation of planned measures and expected developments likely to lead to further reductions of emissions. 
• Trichlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, chlorinated alcylbenzenes and dichloroethane: The present emissions are so small that they may be considered insignificant.  
• Copper, chromium and PAHs: The national emissions of these subtances are still significant:
  - Emissions of copper from industry and mining have been considerably reduced, but increased use of copper as a coating for ships’ hulls means that emissions as a whole are on the rise.
  – Emissions of chromium from industry have also fallen considerably, but the use of chromium as corrosion protection agent in painting has increased.
  – PAH emissions are down, although recent years have not seen any significant reduction. Inplementation of BAT in the aluminium industry, will reduce the PAH emissions considerable. Emissions from combustion sources, especially from wood combustion, will continue, however.  
• Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), intermediate-chain chlorinated paraffins, DEHP, musk xylenes and brominated flame retardants: There is still insufficient knowledge about emissions, sources of emission and the use of these substances in Norway to make clear statements about the emission trends in the period from 1995 to 2001. Substantial efforts and emission reduction plans have been made for these substances. A separate action plan for brominated flame retardants is being implemented.

Read more about:

• Hazardous chemicals (State of the Environment in Norway)    
• Regulations in the EU and Norway (State of the Environment in Norway)

For enquiries, please contact SFT:

• Deputy Director Anne-Mari Opheim, Department of Industry
  tel. +47 22 57 35 37, e-mail:anne-mari.opheim@sft.no                     
• Senior Adviser Christel Benestad, Section for Chemicals and the Metallurgical Industry
  tel. +47 22 57 34 43, e-mail: christel.benestad@sft.no