Pollutant Information: Sodium 

About Sodium

Category: Heavy metals and base cations

Base cations such as sodium are important in the environment because deposition has an impact upon surface pH, causing an increase in alkalinity, thereby buffering or neutralizing the effects of acidity generated by sulphur and nitrogen. It is for this reason these emissions are of interest, rather than their negative impacts upon human health or ecosystems. Construction generated 30% of the UK emission in 2017. Steelmaking was responsible for 24% of total emissions, while domestic, industrial and power station use of coal contributed 22%.

» View and Download Sodium emission summary data

Time series graph