Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 July 2013
160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which carbon emissions arising from bituminous fuel has stabilised in the course of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34104/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous fuel (or ‘smoky coal ban’) 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 with consequential health impacts. Air quality monitoring carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the ban proved very effective in reducing particulate matter and sulphur dioxide levels in Dublin. The ban was subsequently extended in several phases.
The EPA published its Review of Ambient Air Quality Monitoring in Ireland in December 2010 , which examined the effectiveness of the smoky coal ban. The Review found that the ban on the sale of smoky coal has reduced levels of particulate matter in those areas where it applies by 15-20%. However, levels of particulate matter remain a concern where there is widespread reliance on solid fuel for residential heating, particularly in towns where the ban on smoky coal does not apply, with the result that air quality in some smaller towns is worse than in larger cities. The EPA recommended that the ban be further extended to all urban areas.
The smoky coal ban has since been further extended:
- from August 2011 to Athlone, Carlow, Clonmel and Ennis; and
- from May 2013 to Greystones, Letterkenny, Mullingar, Navan, Newbridge, Portlaoise and Wicklow.
In addition, the boundaries of most existing smoky coal ban areas were revised with effect from September 2012 to take account of more recent urban development. A ban on the burning of smoky coal inside ban areas was also introduced to complement the established ban on its marketing, sale and distribution. The ban now applies in 27 cities and towns, including all urban areas with a population greater than 15,000 people.
Air quality monitoring undertaken by the EPA has shown improvements in air quality in towns added to the ban in 2011. The results and analysis of EPA monitoring data will be made available in the next EPA annual air quality monitoring report, which is expected to be published in September. However, further monitoring will be needed to ascertain the impact of the most recent revisions to the ban introduced since September 2012.
Details of Ireland’s carbon emissions over the last 5 years were published on 15 April 2013 in the EPA’s report, Ireland’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2011 which is available on the EPA’s website (www.epa.ie).
This report notes that solid fuel (coal & peat products) use in homes declined by 8% in 2011 compared to 2010.
