Ireland's air quality currently is among the best in Europe but maintaining this standard is a growing challenge, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) latest air quality report.

The report, Air Quality In Ireland 2012 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, released today shows that air quality in Ireland is generally of a high standard across the country, and is among the best in Europe, but particulate matter in our air is of growing concern, especially during the winter months when people’s fuel choices can directly impact on air quality and on our health.

"We're fortunate in Ireland that our air is generally clean," said Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA. "Our prevailing winds come from the Atlantic, we don’t have many large cities, and we have a clean and well-regulated industrial sector. It would be easy to assume therefore, that we’re broadly in the clear. We are not. Our air quality is under threat and especially so during the winter months we are now facing into. While people have been enduring so much hardship in recent years, one small consolation has always been that at least we live in a country where the environment is in good shape and the air is clean. Unless we make changes, we cannot continue to rely on that."

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Under EU legislation, Ireland is required to reduce exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by 10% between 2012 and 2020. This challenging reduction, known as the National Exposure Reduction Target, will require an integrated approach across a number of sectors including industrial, transport and residential emissions, but will lead to many health and environmental benefits. In addition, the World Health Organisation has laid down more stringent guidelines for air quality, which may be adopted in our legislation in the future.

According to Barbara O’Leary, EPA Air Quality Manager: "Ireland currently meets all EU standards for air quality but exceeds WHO air quality guidelines for particulate matter and must continue to implement and enforce the ban on bituminous coal to ensure a good standard of air quality. Households and businesses should use more efficient methods to burn fuel and shift from solid fuel to cleaner alternatives, while also striving to reduce the demand for energy consumption."

(CD/MH)