Rise in cancer-causing pollutant in Dublin and Cork

TOXIC EMISSIONS from traffic in Dublin and Cork continue to pose a threat to air quality in Ireland, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The agency’s annual air quality report for 2010, published yesterday, found that while air quality across the country complied with EU standards, a concern remained about the levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter from traffic in the urban centres of Dublin and Cork.

The report bases it findings on data obtained from a national network of 27 monitoring stations, which record air quality on an hourly basis.

It noted that the level of potentially cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from traffic and solid fuel burning, which the EPA has been monitoring since 2009, was close to the limit at two monitoring sites last year and could be a problem pollutant in the future.

The EPA’s report found that air quality in smaller towns was most affected by pollution from particulate matter emanating from domestic fuel use, mainly the burning of bituminous or smoky coal for home heating.

The concentrations of particulate matter in towns such as Ennis and Longford were found to be higher than those in all cities or in towns with populations above 15,000, where the sale of such fuel is banned.

From this year, however, new regulations will require all bituminous coal for residential use to have a sulphur content of less than 0.7 per cent. The ban on the sale of smoky coal was extended to four further towns – Ennis, Clonmel, Carlow and Athlone – last month.

In April and May of last year, the EPA monitoring network was used to assess the impact on health and the environment of the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

While particulate matter from the eruption was detected, the report concluded that the incident had no impact on ambient air quality.

Director Micheál Ó Cinnéide said the EPA welcomed the change in legislation on bituminous coal, which would have a positive effect on air quality.

“However we must also work to reduce traffic emissions through reducing travel demand, emphasising sustainable transport modes such as cycling, walking and public transport and improving the efficiency of motorised transport.”