Poor local air quality is the outcome of pollutants such as dust and fine particulates, ozone and carbon monoxide building up in towns and cities. The consequences include smog and health problems for those with sensitive respiratory systems such as the young, older people and asthma sufferers. While power stations and other industrial sites can contribute to poor local air quality, the main source tends to be traffic. The wider-reaching effects of air pollution also include acid precipitation resulting from emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

All existing coal-fired sites in the UK now have to comply with the European Union's (EU's) Large Combustion Plants Directive (LCPD), which seeks to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates from large-scale industrial works such as power stations, refineries and steelworks. We will be giving our Ratcliffe power station the investment it needs to maintain long-term security of supply, but we have decided not to do the same at Ironbridge and Kingsnorth, which means that they will run at restricted output levels after 2008, before being scheduled for closure by 2015.

E.ON UK total SO₂ emissions from generation, kt*

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
44.7	49.3	113.7	76.1	66.7

* kilotonnes

This graph reflects the use of coal-fired power stations to produce electricity. The burning of lower-sulphur coal in 2005 meant that despite an overall increase in coal-fired generation, our total emissions of SO₂ reduced significantly.

E.ON UK total SO₂ emissions from generation/useful product supplied, kt/TWh *

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
1.15	1.17	2.38	1.72	1.65

* kilotonnes per terawatt hour

This graph reflects the number of coal-fired power stations operating within our generation portfolio and the level of SO₂ abatement these power stations have. The peak in 2003 reflects the purchase of Drakelow and High Marnham power stations, both of which have since been closed. The burning of lower-sulphur coal in 2005 meant that the emission of SO₂ per unit of electricity supplied was reduced.

E.ON UK total NOx emissions from generation, kt

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
39.6	44.7	62.7	55.1	57.2

This graph reflects the use of fossil fuel-based generation to produce electricity. The increase in NOx emissions is a result of increased coal-fired generation and the use of lower-sulphur coal, the chemical and physical properties of which result in higher NOx emissions per unit of fuel used.

E.ON UK total NOx emissions from generation/useful product supplied, kt/TWh

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
1.02	1.06	1.31	1.24	1.42

This graph reflects the use of fossil fuel-based generation and choice of fuels used to produce electricity. The increase in NOx emissions is a result of increased coal-fired generation and the use of lower-sulphur coal, the chemical and physical properties of which result in higher NOx emissions per unit of electricity produced.

E.ON UK total PM₁₀ emissions from generation, kt

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
0.61	0.46	0.75	0.58	0.84

This graph reflects the use of coal-fired power stations to produce electricity. The increase in 2005 reflects increased coal-fired generation and the use of lower-sulphur coal, the chemical and physical properties of which result in higher emissions of particulate matter, including particles less than ten microns in diameter (PM₁₀). The increase in 2003 and subsequent decrease in 2004 reflect the purchase of three coal-fired power stations and the subsequent closure of two of them.

E.ON UK total PM₁₀ emissions from generation/useful product supplied kt/TWh

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
0.016	0.011	0.016	0.013	0.021

This graph reflects the number of coal-fired power stations operating within our generation portfolio and the level of particulate abatement or 'filtering' these power stations have. The increase in 2005 reflects increased coal-fired generation and the use of lower-sulphur coal, the chemical and physical properties of which result in higher emissions of particulate matter, including PM₁₀. The increase in 2003 and subsequent decrease in 2004 reflect the purchase of three coal-fired power stations and the subsequent closure of two of them.

The burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, also results in emissions of a number of trace elements - further details of these are available here.

Details of our emissions of greenhouse gases are included here.

Full details of the environmental performance of each our sites is available here and detailed environmental trend data going back to 1990 is available here.