Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
The Environmental Protection Expenditure Survey (EPE), 2015-2021: Secure Access samples approximately 3,000 UK businesses using the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) as the sampling frame. The design is a stratified single-stage random sample, with the target population being stratified by industry and employment size. Sample selection occurs independently within each stratum. All businesses with 250 employees or above are selected, together with a random sample of businesses from each of the other strata, defined by two-digit SIC 2007 industry and employment size band.The survey samples businesses that operate in four industries, based on Standard Industrial Classification (SIC):SIC Section B - Mining and quarrying SIC Section C - ManufacturingSIC Section D - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supplySIC Section E- Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities Questionnaires are sent to the selected businesses. Respondents are asked to report the operating environmental protection expenditure costs, capital environmental protection expenditure and profits made from disposal of environmental protection capital assets during the reference period. In 2016, questions were added to the EPE Survey to obtain estimates of external operational expenditure (before this, information was collected only on in-house operational expenditure) and information on the profits from the disposals of any capital assets that had been used for environmental protection purposes.
Main Topics:
The EPE Survey focuses on the following four types of expenditure, as well as profits made from disposals: External operating expenditure: Costs paid to external organisations for treatment, disposal or investigation relating to waste water management, protection of ambient air and climate, and solid waste management. In-house operating expenditure: On-site management costs for the treatment, disposal or investigation relating to waste water management, protection of ambient air and climate, and solid waste management.End of pipe capital expenditure: Capital expenditure for methods, technologies, processes or equipment designed to collect and remove pollution and pollutants after their creation. Integrated capex: investment in methods, technologies and equipment that are integrated within the businesses' overall activity, where the primary aim of the expenditure is to reduce any pollutants generated. The expenditure captured here includes only the element that specifically relates to the additional cost of the environmentally friendly process compared with a cheaper and less environmentally friendly alternative.Disposals: Profits from the disposal of any capital assets that have been used for environmental protection.
One-stage stratified or systematic random sample
Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
