asked the Minister for the Environment the levels of lead in the atmosphere monitored by Dublin Corporation at O'Connell Street and Dame Street, Dublin between (a) 8.00 a.m.-10.00 a.m. (b) 5.00 p.m.-7.00 p.m. on 5, 12 and 19 November 1979.
Written Answers. - Lead Levels in Dublin Atmosphere.
500.
The mean concentrations of lead in the atmosphere measured at the Dame Street, Dublin air monitoring station for the four hour period 8.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. on 5, 12 and 19 November 1979 were 3.4, 6.3 and 7.7 micrograms per cubic metre respectively. Separate readings are not available for the two-hour periods 8.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.. When converted to a 24-hour basis the foregoing mean concentrations become 2.04, 3.78 and 4.62 micrograms per cubic metre respectively. The annual mean concentrations at the Dame Street monitoring station in 1978-79 on a 24-hour basis was 1.86 micrograms per cubic metre which is below the 2 micrograms per cubic metre standard proposed in the EEC directive on air quality standards for lead.
Data are not available in respect of the O'Connell Street monitoring station for the dates in question. The annual mean concentration on a four-hour basis for 1978-79 was 2.94 micrograms per cubic metre which is equivalent to 1.76 micrograms per cubic metre on an annual mean 24-hour basis which is also below the proposed EEC standard.