The investment of industrial companies in environmental control changed from R$ 10,5 billion, in 1997 to R$ 22,1 billion, in 2002. The real increase (minus inflation) in this period was 83.9%. In 1997, only 3,823 companies invested in environmental control. In 2002, this figure increased to 6,691 (75.0%), that is, it was  significantly above the overall increase in companies in the same period (26.4%). In 1997, there was a high concentration of investments in environmental control in the sectors of food products and beverages. In 2002, these investments were more concentrated  in coke manufacturing, petroleum refining, development of nuclear fuels and alcohol production.

All these data were taken from the Annual Industrial Survey of Enterprises (PIA-Enterprise). Besides the acquisition of industrial machines already using the concept of clean technology, were also considered the acquisition of equipment, the construction and repair of treatment units, and the expenses to make these items work. Expenses with the recovery of damaged areas were not taken into consideration.

The main results are shown in three annex tables .

The participation of the amount invested in environmental control, in the group of companies in which occurred this type of investment, increased from 13.9% in 1997, to 18.7% in 2002. This performance resulted from the participation of manufacturing industry, in which the investments in environmental control increased by 92.6%.

In 1997, there was a high concentration of investments in environmental control in the sectors of food products and beverages (19.4%), followed by petroleum and alcohol refining (16.1%), metallurgy (14.0%) and cellulose and paper (11.5%). Together, they accounted for 61.0% of the total investments in environmental control. That year, half of the 27 divisions of CNAE (National Classification of Economic Activities) represented 89.9% of the investments in environmental control in the country.

In 2002, the highest concentration of investments in environmental was present in coke manufacturing ,petroleum refining, development of nuclear fuels and alcohol production (42.1%), followed by manufacturing of cellulose and paper (15.5%) and metallurgy (10.4%). These three sectors accounted for 68.0% of the environmental expenses. With half of the sectors of CNAE, in 2002, were obtained 94.4% of the investments in environmental control, that is, there was increase of the concentration of this type of expense.

Between 1997 and 2002, the amount invested in environmental control in the sector of coke production, petroleum refining, development of nuclear fuels and alcohol production increased by 382.3%. It is also important to mention the real growth in the subsectors of cellulose and paper (148.6%), automotive vehicles (80.7%) and metallurgy (37.5%). Only food products and beverages had substantial decrease of participation in environmental investments in the years surveyed. This sector went from the first to the fourth position, from 1997 to 2002.

An important characteristic of environmental investment is that it is made by huge corporations. In 1997, the 3,823 companies which invested in environmental control accounted for 34.1% of the amount of industrial manufacturing in the country. In 2002, this participation changed to 48.1%.

Among the categories of use, intermediate goods 1 was the one with major investments in environmental control both in 1997 and in 2002. This sector, in general, is considered as the most destructive to the environment. The total amount invested by this type of industry had real increase of 176.9% between 1997 and 2002.

This fact points to the existence of certain reasons associated mainly to the demands of international trade, especially of developed countries, which require serious attention to environmental regulations. There are other factor, in addition to this one: the fear that active or passive damage may have a negative impact on the corporation image; the increase of a consumption culture associated to a cleaner production (green consumer); pressures by society; strict rules by agencies of environmental control.

From 1997 to 2002, there was an inversion of positions between the traditional² (from 23% to 10%) and the technological³ categories (from 15% to 11%), in relation to the participation in the total investments in environmental control.

The figure below shows a comparison between the composition of the investment in environmental control of the industrial sectors in Brazil, USA, Spain and Portugal.

               Figure 6: Categories with investment in machinery and equipment

                          for environmental control in industry in some countries

¹It is, in general, rich in terms of natural resources and energy: non-metallic minerals (glass, cement, ceramic); metallurgy ; paper and cardboard; manufacturing of coke, petroleum refining and alcohol production; and chemistry (fertilizers, petrochemicals, resins).

²It encompasses the industries, regardless of the technical system of production adopted, has as the main feature the elaboration  of manufactured products of a lower technological level, directed to the final consumer: wood, furniture, leather, textiles, apparel, food products, tobacco, editing and printing, among others.

³It encompasses the sectors which are more susceptible to technological innovation and to international competition, being the main source to spread the technical process to the rest of industry: mechanics, electricity and communication, of transportation material, rubber, pharmaceuticals, perfumery, soaps, candles and plastic.