In 2014, about 13% of industrial enterprises had environmental expenditure with prevention and control of pollution.
Between 2010 and 2014, the environmental expenditure decreased at an average annual rate of 5.4% due to the decrease in capital expenditure whose in this period was -15.0%, with a slight decrease on current expenditure.
The measures taken by the industry in 2014 to minimize the environmental impacts of its activities cost more than 323 million euros. This amount represented 0.19% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), around 31 euros/inhabitant year, which places Portugal in a modest position compared to other Member States of EU28.
The industries of “Food, beverages and tobacco” and “Electricity, gas and water” had the highest spending with environment, having applied in 2014, about 103 million euros in expenditure for control and prevention of pollution, representing 1/3 of the total environment expenditure for the industry.
The majority of environmental expenditure (114 million euros in 2014 comparing with the 121 million euros in 2013) was allocated for “Waste Management” domain. The domains “Protection of Ambient Air and Climate” and “Wastewater Management” absorbed, respectively, 22.2% e 22.9% of total expenditure for 2014.
Environmental certification in the industry developed positively in 2014. Yet this type of accreditation, by European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and ISO 14 001 is still scarce (6.7% of the industrial enterprises in 2014 plus 3 p.p. than in 2013).