Organisation: EPA

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Organisation: EPA

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p> The River Blackwater in Mallow, County Cork. A ‘corporation, in the eyes of the law, is an entity with legal standing and a suite of rights’, so it is hard to argue against a global movement in which rivers are considered worthy of rights. Picture: Dan Linehan</p>

outdoors

Anja Murray: Is a river alive? And if so, does it have rights?

Two new EPA reports document an ongoing steady decline in water quality across Ireland's lakes, rivers and estuaries as pollution levels continue to rise. A whopping 44% of Irish rivers now have nitrogen concentrations that exceed healthy limits

<p>How would you tackle a drawer or shelf full of unused and out-of-date medicines like this?</p>

outdoors

Tackling out-of-date medicines — they can be a serious health and environmental risk

<p>Dr Michelle McKeown: "Climate change does not negotiate. Delay simply means steeper cuts later and higher financial penalties."</p>

outdoors

Ireland’s climate targets: the clock is ticking and the bill is mounting

Testing the water of a reservoir for the content of microbes .

outdoors

Societal acceptance of severe pollution and fish kills

Rain barrel in garden

outdoors

Prep for warmer, drier summers — and wetter winters

Noise pollution near schools has serious effects

outdoors

Noise pollution near schools has serious effects

Donal Hickey: Sewage pollution and the pearl mussel

Donal Hickey: Sewage pollution and the pearl mussel

Once widespread, they are now found in very few catchments. Ireland is believed to have almost half of Europe’s pearl mussel population, with the Blackwater catchment accounting for a sizeable portion of that

Thu, 27 Feb, 2025

Water Spouts Gushing

Raw sewage scandal — so many dangers with dumping untreated waste into our waterways

More than half of treatment plants discharge water that’s not always treated to EPA standards... and the EPA has identified 73 priority areas for urgent action

Thu, 23 Jan, 2025

Lady’s Island Lake has enormous significance, but its lagoon ecosystems are collapsing

Lady’s Island Lake has enormous significance, but its lagoon ecosystems are collapsing

Wexford's Lady’s Island Lake has enormous ecological, spiritual and historical significance.

Wed, 22 Jan, 2025

Smoking chimney

Donal Hickey: Open fires are literally breathtaking

There are regular warnings from environmental and health promotion organisations about dangers of domestic emissions of solid fuel which cause 1,300 deaths per year, according to the EPA. Particulates can cause irritation to lungs, nose and throat and can be particularly harmful to older people

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Save our rivers: The many faces of the Suir — and how endangered freshwater mussels could help

Save our rivers: The many faces of the Suir — and how endangered freshwater mussels could help

Ellie O’Byrne hears about the contrast between the Suir Blueway and the state of the river in Thurles, and learns that if they're saved from extinction, native mussels could play a vital role in cleaning our rivers

Fri, 23 Aug, 2024

Save our rivers: Blackwater under pressure as the number of pristine tributaries has halved

Save our rivers: Blackwater under pressure as the number of pristine tributaries has halved

From a disastrous Uisce Éireann leak to less obvious issues such as forestry runoff, the Blackwater catchment is under pressure, writes Ellie O’Byrne on the third day of our series on five Irish rivers

Wed, 21 Aug, 2024

Save our rivers: Raw sewage spills among three incidents a day at water facilities reported to EPA

Save our rivers: Raw sewage spills among three incidents a day at water facilities reported to EPA

As the 'Irish Examiner' begins a week-long series focusing on five key rivers, EPA data lays out the immense scale of the problem facing our inland waterways

Mon, 19 Aug, 2024

Dead in the water: Plan for 126 homes in Cork town halted by over-capacity wastewater plant

Dead in the water: Plan for 126 homes in Cork town halted by over-capacity wastewater plant

Dunmanway has housebuilding plans ready to roll, as stipulated in the county development plan. But, as the local wastewater treatment plant is at capacity, none of them can be built

Mon, 05 Aug, 2024

travel concept, people in the airport

Irish Examiner view: Climate change report should spur us on to cut emissions further

Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency reports a 6.8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions — but there is no room for complacency

Wed, 10 Jul, 2024

Greenhouse gas emissions

Decline in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions not enough to hit targets

“Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 were at their lowest level in over three decades," the EPA stated, but Ireland remains well short of its targets both set nationally and at EU level.

Tue, 09 Jul, 2024

Drop of water falling from faucet.

Half a million people drink from 'at-risk' public water supplies – EPA

Environmental Protection Agency says the number of communities under long-term boil water notices has doubled in just a year

Tue, 02 Jul, 2024

More than a million meals wasted every day in Ireland

More than a million meals wasted every day in Ireland

Households accounted for 30% of all total food waste, costing them an average of €700 a year, an annual national cost of €1.29bn

Thu, 27 Jun, 2024

North Cork fish kill may spark legal proceedings over suspected chemical spill

North Cork fish kill may spark legal proceedings over suspected chemical spill

Minister of State Neale Richmond said that Uisce Éireann was made aware of the incident at Freemount water treatment plant

Wed, 19 Jun, 2024

Anja Murray: Rivers running out of air

Anja Murray: Rivers running out of air

Oxygen is a vital element of healthy waters — by overloading waterways with nutrients, aquatic animals are struggling to breathe

Wed, 19 Jun, 2024

Cork anglers 'devastated' as river fish kill causes cancellation of prestigious competition

Cork anglers 'devastated' as river fish kill causes cancellation of prestigious competition

Kanturk and District Trout Anglers Association said it was 'heartbreaking to see a river that has been nurtured so much to be absolutely decimated'

Wed, 12 Jun, 2024

IRELAND-ENVIRONMENT-CLIMATE-SOCIAL-PROTEST

S Elaine Loughlin: Poverty of responses to climate change in stark contrast to its threat

Placing the sole blame on the government of the day is exactly the reason why we will not meet our emissions targets

Sat, 01 Jun, 2024

Green Party conference

Green Party leader defends track record despite emissions report findings

The report says the State will only achieve a reduction of 29% in its emissions by 2030, compared to 2018, far below the 51% target

Tue, 28 May, 2024

Eastbourne, Sussex, UK. 18th June 2019. Eastbourne Pier became the focal point for a lightning storm that saw over 1,000 strikes

EPA predicts Ireland will miss its emissions targets by a wide margin

Even if all the Government’s climate action plans are fulfilled, Ireland would only achieve a reduction of 29% in its emissions by 2030, despite the Climate Act's target of 51%

Mon, 27 May, 2024

Autumn weather November 2nd 2023

EPA: Ireland must build climate resilience into the way it manages bathing waters

Environment watchdog reveals the number of water pollution incidents rose by a third in 2023 due in part to extreme weather events

Thu, 16 May, 2024

Person putting jeans into the drum of a washing machine, front view. Washing dirty jeans in the washer

Irish people 'unaware' of how daily behaviours affect climate change

ESRI survey funded by the EPA suggests that, while many people in Ireland have tried to reduce their carbon footprint, widespread misunderstandings persist

Thu, 09 May, 2024

Donal Hickey: Circular Economy Fund open for applications now

Donal Hickey: Circular Economy Fund open for applications now

Schools, community groups, sports clubs, festivals and events can all apply for this funding — link below

Thu, 18 Apr, 2024

Irish fuel price protest

Anthony Foley: Climate change measures will be tougher than many wish to believe

The EPA survey reported a weakening in support for so-called 'nasty' measures such as bans on peat, coal, and home heating oil, as well as for higher taxes on petrol and diesel cars

Mon, 01 Apr, 2024

Making compost from vegetable leftovers

Progress on EU plans to outlaw binning food that is still safe to eat

The EU has taken a step closer to outlawing the binning of food that is still safe to eat.

Thu, 14 Mar, 2024

Greenhouse gas emissions

Irish Examiner view: We all must accept responsibility in the battle to combat climate change

It is a longstanding challenge to get individuals to link their personal activity to a wider global challenge

Thu, 29 Feb, 2024

Objections to plant's plans to dump '5,000 double-decker buses' of mud into Shannon Estuary

Objections to plant's plans to dump '5,000 double-decker buses' of mud into Shannon Estuary

If the application were to succeed, the Aughinish Alumina plant would be allowed to dump almost 668,500 tonnes of dredged material over an eight-year period

Wed, 28 Feb, 2024

feeding tube being used

Letters to the Editor: Parents are helping raise awareness about tube feeding

As Feeding Tube Awareness Week ends, one reader highlights the challenges parents face, while others write about climate change, antisocial behaviour, and the death of John Bruton

Sat, 10 Feb, 2024

Discharge of sewage into a river

Ireland taken to task by European Commission over waste water treatment

Commission states that Ireland is not fully compliant with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive

Wed, 07 Feb, 2024

Large waves breaking against the sea wall at Dawlish, Devon

'Ireland will be unrecognisable if we fail to reduce emissions'

Ireland’s first Climate Change Assessment, led by the EPA and authored by 23 leading academics, suggests the country is ill-prepared for climate change

Fri, 26 Jan, 2024

Cork Harbour clean up operations expanded after Whitegate oil refinery leak

Cork Harbour clean up operations expanded after Whitegate oil refinery leak

Oil absorbent booms have also been deployed onto the water next to the site to prevent further release from the marsh area into the bay

Thu, 25 Jan, 2024

EPA investigating persistent discolouration of drinking water on Cork City's northside

EPA investigating persistent discolouration of drinking water on Cork City's northside

Uisce Éireann says water it is pumping uphill dislodges deposits in Cork's ageing cast iron mains, turning the water brown

Sun, 10 Dec, 2023

ieExplains: Are we still putting our household waste in the wrong bin?

ieExplains: Are we still putting our household waste in the wrong bin?

The Environmental Protection Authority has called on local authorities to do more to ensure householders segregate waste properly

Tue, 14 Nov, 2023

Donal Hickey: When smoke gets in your eyes... and lungs

Donal Hickey: When smoke gets in your eyes... and lungs

It is projected that an estimated €100 million worth of coal products will be imported from Northern Ireland into Ireland this year alone. Despite being banned in Ireland, smoky coal continues to be brought down from Northern Ireland in substantial quantities

Thu, 09 Nov, 2023

Raw sewage flowing into Irish waterways every day, EPA report says

Raw sewage flowing into Irish waterways every day, EPA report says

Environmental Protection Agency cites 'poor management practices' at two Cork treatment plants as examples of the problem

Thu, 26 Oct, 2023

John Whelan: Shipping lines to charge climate fees at Irish ports from January

John Whelan: Shipping lines to charge climate fees at Irish ports from January

Carriers are using very opaque formulas to calculate surcharges to offset the cost of the EU emissions trading system (ETS)

Sun, 15 Oct, 2023

Catherine Conlon: Here is the evidence for cutting back on meat

Catherine Conlon: Here is the evidence for cutting back on meat

President Michael D Higgins caused a stir when he urged us to tackle climate change on our dinner plates — but there are plenty of reasons to heed his call, writes CATHERINE CONLON

Mon, 02 Oct, 2023

Lough Neagh algal blooms

Pádraig Hoare: Lough Neagh a cautionary tale on how we manage our waters

The pictures of blue-green algae on Lough Neagh shocked many, but the Republic could be sleepwalking into a similar catastrophe with its lakes and rivers.

Mon, 02 Oct, 2023

Worker Spraying Blown Fiberglass Insulation between Attic Trusses

Retrofitting homes: Most energy upgrade scheme works found to be non-compliant

C&AG reveals that most 2022 inspections of energy upgrade works in private homes at risk of energy poverty failed

Fri, 29 Sep, 2023

Irish Examiner view: Green projects such as robot trees must convince voters

Irish Examiner view: Green projects such as robot trees must convince voters

The jury is out on Cork’s ‘robot trees’ and whether they can match their claims to improve air quality

Mon, 25 Sep, 2023

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confidence vote

Letters to the Editor: Response to GRA vote from Drew Harris was a missed opportunity

One reader says the Garda Commissioner failed to bring members of the force along with him, while others respond to correspondence about the Camhs service and climate change

Fri, 22 Sep, 2023

Letters to the Editor: More education needed on road and water safety

Letters to the Editor: More education needed on road and water safety

Readers consider road and water safety, fentanyl in Ireland, the EPA and the red meat tweet, and preserving wildlife

Sat, 09 Sep, 2023

Letters to the Editor: Counting the cost of going to GAA games

Letters to the Editor: Counting the cost of going to GAA games

One reader questions the price of club GAA match tickets, while others look at issues including climate change, staffing levels in the Defence Forces, and Irish unity

Thu, 07 Sep, 2023

Joe Biden

Letters to the Editor: Retiring ageing and dud politicians

One reader suggests political candidates could be tested for mental competence, while others consider issues including neutrality, the cost of EVs, and insurance for cyclists

Wed, 06 Sep, 2023

Buying meat at a supermarket.

Activists warn of 'chilling effect' of EPA's deletion of tweet on eating less red meat

Tweet removed because it was not intended to cause anger or 'confusion'

Tue, 29 Aug, 2023

Water is floating from a tap in the kitchen

Over 480,000 people relying on 'at risk' public water supplies

The level of lead in the water system was also highlighted as a concern by the Environmental Protection Agency

Tue, 01 Aug, 2023