Air pollution problems — you can almost taste the smoke in the air on cold evenings

There are major challenges at EU level to achieve the ambitious goal of reducing premature deaths from air pollution by 55% by 2030

According to a 2024 Environment Protection Agency (EPA) report, there are 1,700 premature deaths in Ireland each year because of poor air quality. Roofs and chimney pots at Roches Buildings, Suttons Buildings and Rathmore Park, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

A walk around a residential area of any city, or town, these evenings, will tell you that we still love our coal and wood fires. Smoke billowing from chimneys hazes the distant sunset: there are times when you can almost taste smoke, especially in really cold weather.

In calm, frosty conditions, thick smog can form, sitting over rooftops in low-lying areas, amid ongoing efforts to improve air quality and encourage people to switch to healthier ways of heating our homes.