Investment in environment protection grow to CZK 25bn in 2011

Prague, Oct 4 (CTK) - Investments in environment protection in the Czech Republic grew by one tenth to Kc24.8bn last year, according to data from the Czech Statistical Office (CSU).

While state expenditures on environment protection decreased, businesses raised their spendings.

Companies spent Kc14.3bn on environment protection, Kc2.5bn more than in 2010.

The public sector invested Kc10.5bn, Kc200m less than in 2010. Nearly one half of public expenditures came from own sources and budgets, while about Kc4.5bn came from subsidies, 60 percent of them from abroad.

Like in 2010, the biggest investments were spent on waste water disposal. The sum amounted to Kc9.6bn, about Kc600m more on the year.

Large projects were co-financed by the European Union.

A sum of Kc4.8bn was invested in air and climate protection, one third more than in 2010.

Investments in waste disposal, land protection and underground and surface water protection exceeded Kc3bn.

The Czech Republic has been investing about Kc20bn in environment protection annually since 2003. Investments in waste water treatment plants are predominating in connection with the country's obligation towards the EU to ensure that all municipalities with population over 2,000 be connected to sewerage systems and waste water treatment plants.

Compared with 1986, when statisticians started monitoring the figures, the total volume of investments in environment protection increased more than ten times. A record-high sum was invested in environment protection in 1997, when the investments exceeded Kc40bn.

Operating expenditures on environment protection last year grew by nearly Kc6bn to Kc59bn, compared with Kc23bn 8 years ago.