Sharp rise in levels of airborne pollutants recorded in Dublin

Airborne pollution has increased significantly in Dublin, mainly due to construction and more traffic, according to the latest report of Dublin Corporation's air quality monitoring and noise control unit.

It said key pollutants in the city centre, notably ??????????????PMs10- very small particles less than 10 microns wide which can cause trachea and lung disorders - exceeded average EU target levels.

The particles are small amounts of dust coming from tyres and engines. They contribute to an increase in human deaths - in the order of 1 per cent for every 10 microgramss3 in the concentration of the particles. The levels of nitrogen dioxide at College Green exceeded EU guidelines throughout last year.

Smoke and sulphur dioxide levels increased slightly in Dublin last year but were still within the EU limits. While measurements at College Street indicate the average air quality complies with EU carbon monoxide limits, the levels of the chemical benzene from June 1999 to January 2000 exceeded the recommended limit.

A total of 200 complaints were dealt with under the Air Pollution Act, and 97 warnings were issued as a result. The corporation was satisfied from inspections that most fuel depots were complying with the regulations on the sale of polluting fuels.

Expanding pollutant monitoring is part of the first phase in a new Air Quality Management Plan for the greater Dublin area, a collaborative project being undertaken by all four local authorities in Co Dublin.

The main cause of complaint about construction sites was dust and the burning of materials rather then off-site disposal. There were 37 complaints about dust last year and a similar number about burning. Complaints were evenly spread across all postal districts, which the corporation said reflected the high level of development around the city and its outskirts.

Of the 97 air pollution warning notices issued, legal proceedings were issued in four cases. The corporation said this was because there was a high level of compliance with the law after complaints were monitored by an environmental health officer.

Ms Evelyn Wright, principal officer with the corporation's environmental health section, said the air quality in Dublin was basically good, with pockets of poor quality due to excessive traffic.

On the higher levels recorded at College Green, Ms Wright said they were to be expected with 40,000 vehicle movements a day in the area.

Dublin is to take part in an EU-sponsored air monitoring project, with Madrid, Rome and Paris, beginning next month. Ms Wright said the city had been included as "a sort of control, as Dublin was a small coastal city and its pollution levels would be a good monitor against the other more developed cities".

EU recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide were to be achieved by 2010, Ms Wright said, and to reach this the corporation's traffic department would bring in a number of traffic reduction schemes in the city centre very soon.