WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators say industries, government agencies and other entities have agreed to a record $10.6 billion in environmental controls and cleanup this year.

The total exceeds the previous record of $10.2 billion set in 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday in a release.

The EPA said enforcement activities have required companies to invest over $33 billion in pollution control equipment to achieve pollution reductions of nearly 4.5 billion pounds since 2003.

The agency said the 12 largest air enforcement cases in 2007 will result in reducing over 500 million pounds of harmful air pollutants, which -- when fully implemented -- should result in approximately 500 fewer premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease, 50,000 fewer days of missed work or school, and 1,000 fewer hospital visits due to asthma and heart failure each year.