The Federal Statistical Office (StBA) continuously collects and analyzes data on the German economy and other areas of society. The StBA prepares the data and makes it available. These statistics serve as a basis for policy-making, among other things. For this reason, companies are obliged to provide information. Not all companies are surveyed. Depending on the sector, a different number of companies are selected at random. If your company receives a corresponding request from the StBA, you must submit the requested data.

The StBA compiles environmental statistics with data on

• Installations for handling substances hazardous to water that are subject to inspection
• Current expenditure for environmental protection

The survey of facilities for handling substances hazardous to water that are subject to mandatory inspections is a complete survey. All recognized expert organizations that inspect facilities for handling substances hazardous to water are surveyed.

As part of the survey of current expenditure on environmental protection, companies in the manufacturing sector (excluding the construction industry) with 50 or more employees are surveyed. This is a random sample, whereby selected economic sectors and size classes are surveyed in full.

You must submit data for the environmental statistics to the StBA if

• your expert organization inspects facilities for handling substances hazardous to water or
• your company falls into one of the following categories:
  • Mining
  • Quarrying of stone and earth
  • Manufacturing industry
  • Energy and water supply
  • Sewage and waste disposal and removal of environmental pollution

Different information is required depending on the classification. In addition, the StBA requests certain information at different intervals, for example monthly, annually or at intervals of several years. Among other things, you may have to provide the following information about your company or your expert organization:

• For expert organizations that inspect facilities for handling substances hazardous to water, by 31.03. of the year following the reporting year:
  • Location, including site conditions
  • Year of construction or year of commissioning
  • Type, intended use and design
  • Relevant volume for liquid substances, relevant mass for solid and gaseous substances hazardous to water
  • Hazard level
  • Substances hazardous to water, summarized into categories and according to water hazard class
  • Year of the test
  • Number of the test report
  • Type and result of the test
  • Type of defects found
• every 3 years for 10,000 companies in the manufacturing industry (excluding construction) with 50 or more employees:
  • Current expenses for the operation of facilities and equipment for environmental protection and resource conservation (differentiated by cost center)
  • Current expenses for services for environmental protection and resource conservation provided by third parties (service providers)