Archived: Air Pollutant Emission Inventory report: chapter 2.4

2.4 Volatile organic compounds

In 2016, approximately 1.8 Mt of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were released in Canada (Table 2–6). The oil and gas industry was the largest contributor at 35% (641 kt) of total emissions (with the upstream oil and gas industry emitting 33% (617 kt) of total VOCs). Paints and solvents were the next-largest contributor, accounting for 17% (326 kt) of emissions, with general solvent use accounting for 13% (250 kt) of the national total. Transportation and mobile equipment sources accounted for 17% (314 kt) of emissions, with off-road gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles and equipment contributing 8% (143 kt) of the national total. Commercial/residential/institutional sources represented 16% (292 kt) of VOC emissions, mainly attributed to home firewood burning (13% or 231 kt). The other contributing VOC sources are manufacturing, agriculture, incineration and waste, ore and mineral industries, and fires. Of these, manufacturing sources accounted for 6% (116 kt) and agricultural sources for 5% (98 kt) of total VOC emissions.

Between 1990 and 2016, VOC emissions decreased by 42% (1.3 Mt) (Figure 2–4). The most significant driver of this trend is a persistent decrease in emissions from off-road gasoline, LPG or CNG vehicles and equipment throughout the time series, due to increasingly stringent regulations on spark-ignition engines. Emissions from light-duty gasoline vehicles and trucks also contributed to this trend, with a consistent decrease in emissions throughout the time series.

Although emissions from most sources decreased, the oil and gas industry experienced an overall increase in emissions between 1990 and 2016. VOC emissions from the downstream oil and gas industry declined overall from 1990 to 2006, with emissions remaining relatively stable after that time, but the upstream oil and gas industry experienced increased emissions, which were more pronounced from 2012 to 2014. In 2016, VOC emissions from the upstream oil and gas industry declined compared to 2015, due to declining conventional production and decreased drilling activity.

The most significant changes in VOC emissions from 1990 to 2016 include:

Figure 2-4: Major contributors to national volatile organic compound trends
Figure 2-4 (See long description below)
Long description for figure 2-4

Figure 2-4 displays the five major sections that contribute to national volatile organic compound trends. The following table displays the contributions (kt) for the years 1990 to 2016.

Figure 2-4: Major contributors to national volatile organic compound trends (kt)
Sector 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Sector 1 - Home Firewood Burning 356.4688 351.4329 335.9278 352.0854 358.4497 342.0772 338.4051 322.5918 341.9709 325.0361 313.5554 289.6887 313.2334 269.4505 261.4567 246.2989 237.6729 234.8813 235.2672 224.3326 235.8964 235.1911 234.413 232.9933 231.4646 229.9923 231.3105
Sector 2 - Upstream Oil and Gas Industry 471.445 473.6362 492.9874 523.2576 538.7686 561.9812 594.3421 586.774 601.9814 561.6485 581.8917 599.273 616.1829 615.2128 607.3801 609.8257 638.1699 634.3733 645.798 603.1069 607.9575 602.8559 660.1207 714.233 751.4734 706.6744 616.5356
Sector 3 - Transportation and Mobile Equipment 1290.801 1245.063 1255.255 1277.154 1284.781 1274.269 1246.836 1206.279 1166.637 1143.849 1052.047 865.4124 835.558 791.5071 793.1887 680.955 644.881 634.124 617.1482 565.5799 550.1053 431.0327 392.0697 369.6566 351.7138 336.991 313.9419
Sector 4 - General Solvent Use 189.0805 188.8074 195.9523 199.7688 209.751 225.3451 230.9139 234.4971 235.526 244.8754 257.5232 244.6708 237.5303 243.5445 242.4884 247.2527 242.1804 243.0558 242.0662 225.2148 233.4359 225.6341 230.6201 236.5419 244.0839 247.3601 250.3733
Sector 5 - Other 828.9042 810.3699 786.1332 817.5908 815.3102 792.4652 771.5454 752.6331 759.5074 756.1634 738.7992 694.9815 685.0069 673.9516 640.7661 621.9248 521.0514 498.0815 469.4353 433.6023 433.7912 424.4566 418.2559 411.9074 413.6228 407.5727 405.3391
Table 2-6: National summary of annual volatile organic compound emissions (tonnes)
Source Sector 1990 2000 2005 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Ore and Mineral Industries nil 21 000 20 000 17 000 16 000 14 000 13 000 13 000 13 000 13 000
Ore and Mineral Industries Aluminium Industry 710 1 100 1 200 1 500 1 300 1 400 970 930 950
Ore and Mineral Industries Asphalt Paving Industry 6 600 6 400 6 100 9 500 7 900 7 100 8 500 8 500 8 500
Ore and Mineral Industries Cement and Concrete Industry 720 780 1 300 370 420 450 420 410 450
Ore and Mineral Industries Foundries 1 700 1 100 920 560 580 520 450 380 360
Ore and Mineral Industries Iron and Steel Industries 5 800 4 200 2 000 1 400 1 300 920 1 100 870 820
Ore and Mineral Industries Iron Ore Industry 570 3 200 1 600 38 170 290 320 300 410
Ore and Mineral Industries Mineral Products Industry 170 320 210 68 74 100 120 110 140
Ore and Mineral Industries Mining and Rock Quarrying 4 100 3 200 3 300 2 600 1 900 1 800 1 600 1 900 1 400
Ore and Mineral Industries Non-Ferrous Mining and Smelting Industry 330 37 52 73 65 70 66 67 65
Oil and Gas Industry nil 600 000 670 000 670 000 630 000 680 000 740 000 780 000 730 000 640 000
Oil and Gas Industry Downstream Oil and Gas Industry 130 000 86 000 64 000 26 000 23 000 25 000 24 000 24 000 25 000
Oil and Gas Industry Upstream Oil and Gas Industry 470 000 580 000 610 000 600 000 660 000 710 000 750 000 710 000 620 000
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) nil 2 500 3 600 3 200 1 900 1 200 1 300 1 300 1 300 1 200
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Coal 1 300 950 1 300 360 380 390 450 410 410
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Diesel 77 280 220 54 53 53 46 84 55
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Natural Gas 480 1 600 1 400 1 200 530 560 550 570 570
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Waste Materials 0.7 5.6 no emissions (-) 15 17 8.2 11 13 9.1
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Other Electric Power Generation 630 770 300 300 250 290 270 220 200
Manufacturing nil 260 000 270 000 200 000 120 000 120 000 120 000 120 000 110 000 120 000
Manufacturing Abrasives Manufacture 1 500 590 610 30 90 94 59 18 20
Manufacturing Bakeries 3 500 6 900 11 000 13 000 11 000 11 000 13 000 14 000 16 000
Manufacturing Biofuel Production - - - 97 100 100 98 100 42
Manufacturing Chemicals Industry 47 000 36 000 25 000 12 000 11 000 14 000 13 000 11 000 9 800
Manufacturing Electronics 1 300 540 320 98 41 36 33 19 17
Manufacturing Food Preparation 10 000 13 000 15 000 17 000 16 000 15 000 15 000 15 000 15 000
Manufacturing Glass Manufacture 2 000 2 300 600 260 260 280 240 200 260
Manufacturing Grain Industries 2 200 2 300 2 200 2 600 2 600 2 500 3 000 3 000 2 500
Manufacturing Metal Fabrication 9 100 14 000 11 000 5 500 5 200 4 800 4 200 4 500 3 700
Manufacturing Plastics Manufacture 14 000 16 000 14 000 13 000 13 000 12 000 9 600 10 000 9 800
Manufacturing Pulp and Paper Industry 27 000 24 000 18 000 19 000 18 000 16 000 14 000 13 000 13 000
Manufacturing Textiles 870 1 500 840 700 530 490 570 620 580
Manufacturing Vehicle Manufacture (Engines, Parts, Assembly, Painting) 22 000 23 000 18 000 9 400 9 800 9 600 9 400 9 400 11 000
Manufacturing Wood Products 110 000 110 000 77 000 31 000 35 000 36 000 36 000 33 000 33 000
Manufacturing Other Manufacturing Industries 11 000 21 000 5 600 1 300 1 100 1 400 1 300 1 300 1 100
Transportation and Mobile Equipment nil 1 300 000 1 100 000 680 000 430 000 390 000 370 000 350 000 340 000 310 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Air Transportation 5 100 6 000 5 400 5 800 6 400 6 300 6 200 6 200 5 900
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Heavy-duty Diesel Vehicles 10 000 18 000 25 000 23 000 21 000 20 000 19 000 17 000 17 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Heavy-duty Gasoline Vehicles 23 000 28 000 22 000 15 000 15 000 15 000 12 000 11 000 12 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Heavy-duty LPG/NG Vehicles 7 100 12 000 2 300 190 100 53 26 26 36
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Diesel Trucks 770 970 1 500 1 100 1 000 1 000 1 100 1 300 1 400
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Diesel Vehicles 2 200 1 500 920 870 810 800 800 810 750
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Gasoline Trucks 88 000 110 000 81 000 62 000 59 000 57 000 54 000 54 000 57 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Gasoline Vehicles 220 000 150 000 94 000 61 000 57 000 54 000 49 000 48 000 48 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty LPG/NG Trucks 1 100 540 230 5.5 2.7 1.1 0.86 0.83 1.0
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty LPG/NG Vehicles 8 100 3 700 1 900 110 67 35 26 24 26
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Marine Transportation 5 800 7 600 8 600 8 800 9 100 9 400 9 700 7 100 7 400
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Motorcycles 1 500 1 700 1 800 1 900 1 900 1 900 1 800 1 800 2 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Off-road Diesel Vehicles and Equipment 53 000 53 000 37 000 25 000 21 000 20 000 19 000 18 000 14 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Off-road Gasoline/LPG/CNG Vehicles and Equipment 860 000 660 000 390 000 220 000 190 000 180 000 170 000 170 000 140 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Rail Transportation 6 700 6 200 6 100 6 100 6 100 5 900 6 100 5 800 5 300
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Tire Wear and Brake Lining - - - - - - - - -
Agriculture nil 94 000 110 000 110 000 99 000 99 000 99 000 99 000 98 000 98 000
Agriculture Animal Production 94 000 110 000 110 000 99 000 99 000 99 000 99 000 98 000 98 000
Agriculture Crop Production - - - - - - - - -
Agriculture Fuel Use 81 91 82 140 150 150 150 150 150
Commercial / Residential / Institutional nil 450 000 410 000 340 000 300 000 290 000 290 000 290 000 290 000 290 000
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Cigarette Smoking 13 12 8.8 8.1 8.0 6.8 6.9 6.1 6.2
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Commercial and Institutional Fuel Combustion 1 000 1 400 1 400 1 300 1 300 1 300 1 400 1 300 1 300
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Commercial Cooking 2 000 2 300 2 500 2 500 2 500 2 500 2 400 2 300 2 300
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Construction Fuel Combustion 71 34 51 61 68 59 56 55 58
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Home Firewood Burning 360 000 310 000 250 000 240 000 230 000 230 000 230 000 230 000 230 000
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Human - - - - - - - - -
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Marine Cargo Handling 0.34 0.92 1.9 17 10.0 - - - -
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Residential Fuel Combustion 1 500 1 700 1 700 1 700 1 600 1 700 1 800 1 700 1 500
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Service Stations - - - - - - - - -
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Other Miscellaneous Sources - - - - - - - - -
Incineration and Waste nil 16 000 15 000 15 000 11 000 11 000 11 000 11 000 11 000 11 000
Incineration and Waste Crematoriums 0.95 1.3 1.7 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.3
Incineration and Waste Waste Incineration 9 800 8 000 8 200 5 300 5 100 4 900 5 100 5 100 5 200
Incineration and Waste Waste Treatment and Disposal 6 100 6 500 6 400 5 500 5 500 5 600 5 600 5 700 5 800
Paints and Solvents nil 360 000 400 000 370 000 300 000 310 000 310 000 320 000 330 000 330 000
Paints and Solvents Dry Cleaning 740 790 200 190 190 200 200 180 190
Paints and Solvents General Solvent Use 190 000 260 000 250 000 230 000 230 000 240 000 240 000 250 000 250 000
Paints and Solvents Printing 37 000 48 000 42 000 19 000 19 000 18 000 17 000 17 000 15 000
Paints and Solvents Surface Coatings 130 000 89 000 77 000 60 000 60 000 59 000 61 000 61 000 60 000
Dust nil - - - - - - - - -
Dust Coal Transportation - - - - - - - - -
Dust Construction Operations - - - - - - - - -
Dust Mine Tailings - - - - - - - - -
Dust Paved Roads - - - - - - - - -
Dust Unpaved Roads - - - - - - - - -
Fires nil 41 000 4 200 3 400 4 200 7 100 2 000 8 100 5 900 4 900
Fires Prescribed Forest Burning 40 000 3 900 3 100 3 900 6 800 1 700 7 900 5 700 4 700
Fires Structural Fires 390 310 280 310 310 310 220 210 200
Grand Total nil 3 100 000 2 900 000 2 400 000 1 900 000 1 900 000 2 000 000 2 000 000 1 900 000 1 800 000

Notes:

totals may not add up due to rounding
- denotes no emissions

Page details

Date modified: