Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Apr 1998

Vol. 490 No. 4

Written Answers. - Air Pollution.

John Gormley

Ceist:

121 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the very high levels of PM 10 and benzene in Dublin's air; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that these are carcinogens; and the action, if any, his Department will take regarding this serious matter. [10367/98]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Mr. D. Wallace)

I am aware of the findings of the baseline study on concentrations of volatile organic compounds and PM 10 in Dublin City, undertaken under the Operational Programme for Environmental Services, 1994-99 and published earlier this year by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. This is the first Irish study of its kind and covered a 13 month period from January 1996 to January 1997.

The study showed some correlation between traffic volumes and PM 10 concentrations, and higher levels in winter than summer. While levels of greater than 50 microgrammes, per cubic metre, ug/m³, were recorded at various sites on a number of occasions, the highest annual average value was 44 ug/m³ at College Green, US EPA maximum annual average recommended level is 50 microgrammes per cubic metre, ug/m³. At present there is no statutory national or EU limit value for this pollutant; a proposal for a directive setting a limit value for, inter alia, PM 10, to be attained in the period 2005-10 is under consideration by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

The health effects of PM 10 and suspended particulate matter, depending on size and composition, are primarily linked to respiratory and cardiovascular illnessess rather than to any potential carcinogenicity.

In relation to benzene, a known carcinogen, the EPA study determined the annual average value, over a 42 week measurement period, at 4.97 ug/m³. This indicates that average concentrations in Dublin are representative of a moderately polluted urban environment. There are currently no mandatory national or EU air quality standards for benzene, and the European Commission is expected to propose a directive setting an air quality standard for this pollutant as part of the programme of subsidiary directives to be developed under the framework directive on ambient air quality. The benzene content of petrol, 5 per cent by volume, is controlled under the European Communities (Lead Content of Petrol) Regulations, 1985.

Measures to reduce PM 10 and VOC, including benzene, concentrations in Irish urban areas include compliance with EU vehicle emission standards, local traffic management strategies and other stationary source emission reduction measures such as the ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal. More stringent vehicle emission and fuel quality standards, including a significantly lower limit of permissible benzene in unleaded petrol, are being developed currently under the EU auto oil programme which is supported by Ireland as an appropriate means of addressing many of the environmental issues arising from vehicle emissions.

Finally, I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 13 and 38 of 5 March l998 in relation to air quality management planning and the preparation of a comprehensive air quality management plan for the greater Dublin area.