Latest NPI emission data - 2020-2021

NPI data for 2020–21, which details emissions from over 4,000 industry facilities, is now available. This data represents the 23rd year of NPI publication of emissions from industry. You can download NPI facility data on data.gov.au.

Industry facilities estimate their emissions and transfers annually using a variety of techniques and report to the states and territories. The Australian Government publishes the data received from the states and territories.

The NPI also includes emissions data from non-industry (or diffuse) sources, such as non-reporting facilities and everyday household activities, including motor vehicle emissions, wood heaters and lawn mowers. This diffuse data is published less frequently than the annual industry data and has not been updated in 2020–21.

Using the NPI emission data

Care should be taken in interpreting NPI data. It is misleading to add together emissions of different substances as this does not provide a measure of total pollution. This is because NPI substances have different properties and toxicities. A small emission of a highly toxic substance may be more significant than a large emission of a far less toxic material.

  • Please read the disclaimer for more information about using NPI data.

Using the NPI transfer data

When using the transfers information from the NPI, it is important to remember that a transfer is a contained movement of an NPI substance in a waste stream and is not a discharge or an emission to the environment.

Transfers data has been included in the NPI for several reasons including:

  • to provide industry with information to assist them in facilitating waste minimisation and increasing cleaner production activities;
  • to provide an opportunity for industry to showcase where they have made changes to their processes to reduce waste by increasing treatment, recycling and purification; and
  • to provide information on where substances, which may pose an environmental or health risk, are being generated and the manner in which they are managed.

Transfers and emissions are separate processes and therefore should be treated separately. It is not appropriate to add emissions and transfers of a substance to obtain an overall picture of a facility’s environmental performance.

More information