COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, September 09, 2024
QUESTION NO.44
QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons
To ask the Chief Executive for a report on a study done by the ERSI into Air Pollution and mental health particularly in people over 50?
REPLY:
The Principal Environmental Health Officer reports that a number of positive steps have been taken over recent years to improve air quality standards in Ireland. South Dublin County Council is a participant of the Dublin Regional Air Quality Plan 2021, and also the previous plan for the Dublin Region, for the years 2009-2012.
Both of these plans, the County Development Plan 2022 - 2028 and the Climate Action Plan 2024 - 2029 include measures that aim to improve air quality such as:
- Enhanced Public Parking
- Encouraging redevelopment of brown field sites, where proximity to amenities and service already exist (15 Minute Neighbourhoods concept)
- Delivery of the Active Travel Programme
- Decarbonization of the Council’s fleet and Behavioural Change Campaigns to Cleaner Fleets
- Delivery of the Electrical Vehicle (EV) Charging Strategy
- Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring and Modelling
Air Quality monitoring and enforcement
Two of Dublin region’s air monitoring network stations, are located in this county at Old Bawn, Tallaght and at Lucan. These stations provide continuous monitoring of several air quality indicators, including Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) This is the parameter, which is the primary focus of the ERSI report in relation to this response. Results recorded at both of these sites have all been within legislative limits and no breaches or exceedances have occurred for PM2.5.
Results are continuously available and viewable on airquality.ie
The implementation of the amended Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 529 of 2022) commenced on 31st October 2022. This new legislation has provided additional controls on the types of fuels that can be purchased for burning in domestic properties in this county.
Some of the changes that now apply under these new regulations include:
- Coal products and manufactured solid fuels must have a smoke emission rate of less than 10 grams per hour
- Coal products and manufactured solid fuels, must have a sulphur content of less than 2%
- Fuel products which are 100% biomass products including, wood products and wood logs, supplied in units of two cubic metres or less, must have a moisture content of less than 25%
- Wood logs supplied in units of two cubic metres or more shall be accompanied by a notice outlining the need to store and season wet wood until it is sufficiently dried
- It will not be possible to sell turf via retail, online or other media, in public houses or other public places. If you currently source turf from family, friends, neighbours outside of the channels mentioned this can continue
Environmental Health Officers, (EHOs) visit and will again be visiting both retailers and wholesalers of solid fuel products, over the upcoming winter period, to ensure compliance with the new standards. In addition, the Principal EHO reports that officers will also be taking away samples of solid fuels on sale in such premises. These samples are sent for laboratory analysis to ensure compliance with the new standards.
In addition, EHOs also actively respond and investigate instances of unauthorised burning or complaints, which may have an impact on air quality.
Many large scale Developments in the South Dublin area, are also assessed at the Planning Application stage, and conditioned accordingly by the EH Section to mitigate air pollution whether at construction stage or later when the development comes on stream. EHO's evaluate Environmental Impact Assessment Reports for air quality, and conditions them accordingly.
The ESRI study referred to is the latest TILDA study. This is an ongoing health study jointly carried out in association, with the Health Service Executive (HSE).
TILDA's (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing) main objectives are as follows:
- The health status and health needs of older people
- The social and economic status and needs of older people
- The health, economic and social needs of families and carers of older people
- The biological and environmental components of "successful ageing"
- The contributions that older people are making to society and the economy
- How Ireland can meet the needs and choices of its citizens in a personalised and positive environment and with due dignity and respect
This cross-sectional analysis uses data on mental health and wellbeing and is a nationally representative survey of the population, aged 50+, in Ireland. Annual average PM2.5 concentrations of air at respondents’ residential addresses over the period 1998–2014 were used to measure long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5.
Outcomes
The positives from the report showed that four in every five respondents, (79%) of those taking part in the study had a PM2.5 of 8μg/m3 or less.
This is well below the legislative value of 20μg/m3 laid down in S.I. No. 180 of 2011 Air Quality Standards Regs 2011.
The report also revealed a significant improvement in PM2.5 levels between 1998 and 2014.
The overall outcome from the TILDA study is positive in relation to air quality and with the most recent legislative improvements, highlighted above, and our involvement with Regional Air Quality Plans; we should see this improvement sustained in South Dublin.