asked the Minister for the Environment whether any special monitoring of air pollution in urban centres is conducted over the winter months; and whether his Department consider that air pollution is reaching crisis level.
34.
Written Answers. - Air Pollution.
33.
asked the Minister for the Environment whether the increasing change-over to solid fuels is leading to a worsening of the air pollution in Dublin; whether any special check is maintained on air pollution; and whether any liaison is maintained with other EC states to combat the problem.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 34 together.
Levels of sulphur dioxide and smoke in the atmosphere are monitored by the local authorities in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Dundalk and Drogheda. Air pollution monitoring is also carried out by the Electricity Supply Board and by the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards in the Dublin and Cork city areas. The long-term trends demonstrated by the measurements taken by Dublin Corporation show that since 1971 the mean annual levels of sulphur dioxide pollution have continued to fall, apart from a small increase between 1977-78 and 1978-79 which was followed in 1979-80 by a continuation of the long-term downward trend. Smoke levels, except in 1976-77, decreased up to 1978-79 but showed a 15 per cent increase in 1979-80. The reversal in the downward trend in smoke pollution levels is attributable to the increasing use of solid fuel for domestic space heating. This trend is being kept under observation and any arrangements necessary to deal with continued disimprovement will be considered in the review of the statutory provisions for pollution control which is currently in hand in my Department. At present, air quality standards in urban centres are in compliance with EEC health protection limit values and there is no evidence that urban air pollution is reaching crisis levels. Three Dublin city monitoring stations are included in the EEC exchange of information programme relating to atmospheric pollution caused by sulphur dioxide and smoke. This country is also participating in the ECE programme for the reduction of long-range transboundary air pollution.
In reply to a question on 28 November 1979 the Dublin figures for smoke for the winter periods, October to March, were given for the years 1973-74 to 1978-79. These are in terms of micrograms per cubic metre and I will repeat them for the convenience of Deputy O'Leary: 53, 46, 38, 49, 43 and 34. The figure for 1979-80 was 46 which is well below the EEC standard of 130. The figure for the present winter period will not be available before April next.