Pollution charges not to persuade companies to prefer environmentally friendly technology
14.10.2008, 11:45National Audit Office finds that pollution
charges in general have not contributed to a reduction in ambient air pollution
or the production of waste, as it is much more economical to pay the charges
than it is to cover the cost of investing in environmentally friendly
technology.
The limited impact of pollution charges on reducing pollution can also be
seen in environmental data, according to which Estonian companies released
nearly 20 pct more of almost all key pollutants into the air in 2007 than
in 2006.
The analysis carried out by the National Audit Office revealed that the
current charges are seeing hazardous pollutants – regardless of the level of
danger they represent – taxed at one and the same rate, pollutants produced in
large quantities taxed at a lower rate than others and some pollutants not being
taxed at all. For example, the rate for low-temperature coke, an environmentally
hazardous by-product of the oil shale oil production process, is ca. ten times
lower than that of ordinary waste, while the release of benzene and ethanol into
the air – both of which can cause cancer and damage genes – is taxed uniformly
and no tax is charged on the emission of fluorine and chlorine compounds.
National Audit Office says that the fact that the majority of companies which
have disregarded environmental pollution restrictions (e.g. polluting without a
permit) have not been forced to pay pollution charges with increased rates is a
problem which needs to be addressed immediately.
The pollution charges that have been collected have had a positive influence
in that the funds obtained have helped the state finance the likes of local
government projects for the treatment of sewage and the construction of waste
treatment facilities.
The biggest user of natural resources and the biggest polluter in Estonia is
the energy sector. In 2003 the sector was responsible for 93 pct of all of
the water used in Estonia; it produced 92 pct of all air pollution in the
country; and generated 73 pct of the nation’s waste.