Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control Unit

Dublin City Council

Martin Fitzpatrick Principal Environmental Health Officer

Functions of Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control UnitWhy do we measure air quality?What pollutants do we monitor?Where do we monitor?What is air quality like in Dublin? How does it compare to other cities?How can the public find out about air quality in Dublin ?

AIR QUALITY STANDARDS REGULATIONS 2002Air Quality StandardsConsolidates all EU DirectivesReference Methods

Public information Requirements

POLLUTANTS MONITORED

SmokeSulphur DioxideBenzeneLeadNitrogen DioxideCarbon MonoxideParticulates (PM10)

ISO 9001: 2000 Certification

INDICATIVE TABLE OF AIR QUALITY IN DUBLIN CITY

Pollutant

Permitted level*

Levels in 2002

Levels in 2001

Benzene

5

3.75

4.9

Nitrogen dioxide

40

34-38

32-39

Sulphur dioxide

125

9

9

Black smoke

80

6-11

6-11

Particulates

40

15-24

18-28

Carbon monoxide

10

.6

.75

Lead

0.5

0.01 - 0.11

0.01 - 0.53

*The units used vary for some pollutants

SummaryOverall air quality is relatively good but some locations show elevated levels

Predominant pollutants are traffic emissions

Vehicle numbers and kilometres travelled continues to rise

New vehicle and clean fuel technologies Vs. Increase in Vehicles

Chart1

524

795

884

831

1429

1193

1545

1098

312

326

349

193

93

144

129

88

75

83

101

124

121

HIGHEST DAILY BLACK SMOKE LEVELS IN DUBLIN CITY 1982-2003

YEAR

HIGHEST DAILY BLACK SMOKE LEVELS IN DUBLIN CITY 1982-2003

Sheet1

YEARHIGHEST DAILY BLACK

SMOKE LEVELS IN DUBLIN CITY 1982-2003

1982/83524

1983/84795

1984/85884

1985/86831

1986/871429

1987/881193

1988/891545

1989/901098

1990/91312

1991/92326

1992/93349

1993/94193

1994/9593

1995/96144

1996/97129

1997/9888

1998/9975

1999/200083

2000/01101

2001/02124

2002/03121

Sheet1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

HIGHEST DAILY BLACK SMOKE LEVELS IN DUBLIN CITY 1982-2003

YEAR

HIGHEST DAILY BLACK SMOKE LEVELS IN DUBLIN CITY 1982-2003

Sheet2

Source: Dublin City Council

Sheet3

EU Life Resolution Research Project142 sitesBenzene and Nitrogen DioxideSix campaigns between September 2000 and July 2001RESEARCH

Public information Requirements

Local authorities required to connect all real time monitoring to a central EPA database for dissemination through the media such as internnet, aertel, etc.

DIOXINS - SOURCES &EFFECTSSOME 419 TYPES OF DIOXIN-RELATED COMPOUNDS IDENTIFIED, OF WHICH 30 ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT TOXICITYNATURAL SOURCES INCLUDE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND FOREST FIRES MAN-MADE SOURCES INCLUDE SMELTING, BLEACHING OF PAPER PULP, INCINERATION AND THE MANUFACTURING OF SOME HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES

EXPOSURE - SHORT TERM MAY RESULT IN SKIN LESIONS, AND ALTERED LIVER FUNCTION.

LONG-TERM MPAIRMENT OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THE DEVELOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM, THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS.

CHRONIC EXPOSURE OF ANIMALS TO DIOXINS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL TYPES OF CANCER.

DIOXIN EMISSIONS INVENTORYFOR IRELAND PUBLISHED BY EPA IN 200293G OF DIOXINS WERE GENERATED IN 2000. OF THIS, 73% OF EMISSIONS WERE GENERATED BY UNCONTROLLED COMBUSTION ACTIVITIES NINE INDUSTRIAL INCINERATORS CURRENTLY OPERATING IN IRELAND RESPONSIBLE FOR 0.015% OF EMISSIONS.

DIOXIN EMISSIONS ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE FROM 93G IN 2000 TO 110G IN 2010

DEFRA (UK) - 14% OF ANNUAL EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH NOVEMBER 5 BONFIRES

THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF INCINERATORS FOR MUNICIPAL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE, AS PROPOSED IN REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PLANS, WOULD CONTRIBUTE 17% OF PROJECTED EMISSIONS. THE BULK OF THESE DIOXINS WILL BE CONTAINED IN INCINERATOR ASH WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE MANAGED UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS AT LICENSED FACILITIES, THEREBY LIMITING ANY POTENTIAL RELEASE OF DIOXINS TO THE ENVIRONMENT. THESE PROPOSED INCINERATORS WOULD CONTRIBUTE 2% OF PROJECTED DIOXIN EMISSIONS TO AIR