Keeping The Air Clean : Germany

The atmosphere in Germany, as in other industrial countries, is polluted above all by emissions from factories, road traffic, heating systems and power stations. This is particularly evident from summer smog and the damage caused to forests. In 1996, 57 percent of tree stocks were slightly or distinctly damaged; only 43 percent could be considered healthy. Human health, the soil, lakes, rivers, build ings and art monuments must therefore be protected from further air pollution.

A comprehensive clean-air program has been introduced to get to grips with pollution at its source and reduce it drastically. Pollutants emitted from power stations and district heating plants, for instance, as well as car exhaust fumes are largely reduced by filters and catalytic converters. Measures such as the Ordinance on Large Firing Installations and the Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control compelled power station operators and industry to quickly refit their installations with modern technology. As a result, sulphur dioxide emissions from industrial firing installations and power stations in the old states decreased by more than 66 percent between 1980 and 1994, and nitrogen oxide emissions decreased by about 50 percent.