Air Quality in Mungret plummets as particulate density soars.
On September 26th the air quality index as recorded by the monitor located at the Office of Public Works Arterial Drainage Maintenance site, across the road from the Irish Cement plant, was 9 out of 10.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency's "Air Quality Index for Health" a rating of "9" is classified as "poor" and they advise that "anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, cough or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors". They identify the most at risk groups as "Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems" stating they "should reduce strenuous physical activity, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion."
The measurements for PM10 (that is small particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less) in Mungret, was recorded as 89.18ug/m3, nearly twice the limit of 45ug/m3 as set out under EU air quality standards for a 24 hour period. The PM2.5 measurement of 49.37 was more than three times the limit of 15ug/m3.
While the source of the increased particulates is unknown a similar pattern of increased concentration of small particulates was observed by the sensors in the city centre and in Castletroy, 8km away. In both cases the the concentration of PM2.5 exceeded the daily average limit of 15ug/m3.
The average value over the course of a year for good air quality of 15ug/m3 and 5ug/m3 for PM10 and PM2.5 respectively, meaning that daily average measurements above 45ug/m3 for PM10 ad 15ug/m3 for PM2.5 occurring for 3 or more days in a year will exceed the annual good air quality limits.
From September 6th-9th measurements for small particulates in the air around Mungret exceeded the daily average limits for PM2.5 was broken for 3 days straight exceeding the annual recommendations for safe air outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU.
Earlier this month, following a Judicial Review, Irish Cement has had the licence granted to it by EPA last year to move from burning fossil fuels to burning recovered solid waste, including used tyres, in the production of cement.
Ruairí Fahy, People Before Profit representative for Limerick City North, has said, “Air Quality is often ignored with a sparse rollout of monitors in our towns and cities.
“If we really want to tackle this issue we need to ensure tougher enforcement of environmental regulation on large polluters and a proper investigation carried out in Mungret into the cause of these repeated breaches. If we don't tackle industries polluting our skies we risk further hospital overcrowding, reduced childhood development, especially with a school nearby and a risk of low birth weights for children born to people living under a cloud of this pollution.
“We also need to change the current retrofitting plan to deal with air pollution from heating, which so far has been delivering only for those who can afford the initial upfront costs.The current model of upfront payment is creating to a larger gap between those who can afford to shield themselves from fuel poverty and those who can’t. Renters are especially effected as landlords have no interest in improving BER ratings when they won't personally benefit. Fuel poverty from rising living costs and unaffordable is forcing people, to burn dirtier solid fuels for heating, leading to poorer air quality and worse health impacts in their communities.
“People Before Profit has proposed a free upfront rollout of retrofitting, going estate by estate to improve the speed of the rollout and reduce its overall cost, with costs covered by splitting the energy savings that retrofits bring, while still lowering people’s bills. This would reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and allow us to provide good green jobs and apprenticeship schemes with long term job certainty for those who train as retrofitters through a publicly controlled construction company.”
