The themes focus on investments (hardware entirely dedicated to environmental protection, purchases of production facilities more efficient in terms of environmental issues...), studies (regulatory or investment-related) and current expenditure (collected every 3 years), destined for environmental protection.

This expenditure is allocated according to the areas concerned:
- Waste water
- Air protection
- Limiting greenhouse gas emissions
- Wastes
- Noises and vibrations
- Soils; ground and surface water
- Sites, landscapes and biodiversity
- Other fields.

The survey covers the establishments of 20 or more employees, with NAF rev.2 code belonging to sections B, C, D. Moreover, from the 2012 campaign Antipol the sector coverage is extended to divisions 38 and 39 of Section E (waste management and remediation activities) that will be interviewed at legal unit level (LU from 20 employees).
The sample is of the order of 11 000 units, including 300 legal units for the waste management sector and 10 700 establishments for the rest of the industry (divided in 8700 on the field off IAA and sawmills 2 000 on the IAA and sawmills field).

Units surveyed:
- Establishment for sections B, C and D
- Legal unit for divisions 38 and 39