Regional piority - Efficient and sustainable use of marine resources for various social and economic purposes, while ensuring the durability of non-renewable resources and natural processes in the perspective of the current and future generations in the region
Indicator 14.A.4 - Outflow of heavy metals to the Baltic Sea
Unit: tonnes/year
Source of data: Polish Waters National Water Holding / Statistics Poland
Information about indicator
Name of the indicator
14.A.4 Outflow of heavy metals to the Baltic Sea
Sustainable Development Goal
Goal 14. Life below water
Priority
Efficient and sustainable use of marine resources for various social and economic purposes, while ensuring the durability of non-renewable resources and natural processes in the perspective of the current and future generations in the region
Definition
Load of heavy metals introduced into the Baltic Sea with river runoff.
Unit
tonnes/year
Available dimensions
by metal
Methodological explanations
Water analysis is carried out basing on long-term environmental monitoring programs for particular voivodships.
The charges of pollutants flowed by rivers into the Baltic Sea are presented on the basis of monitoring surveys of flowing surface waters in hydrological years. The hydrological year contains the period from 1 November to 31 October of the calendar year.
River pollution runoff into the Baltic Sea – information comes from research conducted as part of the international Baltic Sea monitoring program, stemming from the Helsinki Convention. The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) provides substantive oversight of the research in Poland.
Heavy metals are discharged into the Baltic Sea primarily via rivers and atmospheric deposition. They are introduced into the natural environment by human activity (industry and motorization, waste incineration, and the use of chemicals in agriculture), reaching the seas and oceans, where they undergo biochemical transformations and ultimately accumulate in bottom sediments.
Source of data
Polish Waters National Water Holding / Statistics Poland
