About this data
- Emissions are estimated by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, using internationally agreed methods and data on fuel use, industrial activity, traffic, farming and more. The whole series is revised every year as methods improve.
- The figures cover emissions from human activity in the UK. Particulate matter is 'primary' PM: particles emitted directly, not those formed in the air from other pollutants. International shipping and aviation are excluded.
- Total emissions in thousand tonnes, back to 1970, are in the downloadable data for the page (emissions_thousand_tonnes.csv).
This chart appears in Air pollution.