Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 October 2012
162. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he has considered amending the law to make it illegal to burn smoky coal in towns and cities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42460/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous fuel (or ‘smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known) was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 in response to severe episodes of winter smog that resulted from the widespread use of smoky coal for residential heating. Air quality monitoring carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the ban has proved very effective in reducing particulate matter and sulphur dioxide levels in Dublin and the ban was subsequently extended to other urban areas.
On 9 July, following consideration of submissions received from local authorities, the health sector, the solid fuel industry, NGOs as well as members of the public under a public consultation process to review the smoky coal ban regulations, I announced that the ban would be extended to include the use of smoky coal within ban areas to complement the existing ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of such fuels. This has now been given effect through new Regulations signed by me on 31 August 2012.
The Regulations also provide for the revision of most existing smoky coal ban areas to take account of recent urban development. The Dublin ban area has been extended to include all of Dublin city, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, including many satellite towns such as Balbriggan, Saggart and Rathcoole, with effect from 31 August 2012.
In addition, seven new towns will be subject to the ban from May 2013: these towns are Greystones, Letterkenny, Mullingar, Navan, Newbridge, Portlaoise and Wicklow Town. The lead-in period for these new towns will allow local authorities and fuel retailers time to familiarise themselves with the new regulatory requirements in preparation for the switch-over to smokeless fuels.
The Regulations also require that all bituminous coal sold outside smoky coal ban areas for residential use outside those areas must have a sulphur content of no more than 0.7%. This consolidates the environmental and related human health benefits achieved by an earlier voluntary agreement with the Solid Fuel Trade Group (SFTG), representing the majority of major coal importers.
The Regulations, along with maps of the revised smoky coal ban areas and new towns being included in the ban from May 2013, are available on my Department’s website at the following link:http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Atmosphere/AirQuality/.
