The U.S. manufacturing sector spent $5.9 billion dollars on capital expenditures and $20.7 billion dollars on operating costs for pollution prevention and treatment in 2005, according to a U.S. Census report, “Pollution Abatement Costs and Expenditures: 2005, released by the EPA (PDF).
These figures represent less than five percent of total new capital expenditures and less than one percent of total revenue for the sector, respectively.
The report provides additional details on pollution abatement expenditures, categorized by type of pollution media and abatement activity by industry and state. The reported costs include capital and operating costs for treatment/capture, prevention, recycling, and disposal, as well as depreciation of pollution abatement equipment.