Major carbon polluters ‘up to three times over limit’

Some of the country’s biggest carbon polluters arestill failing to rein in their greenhouse gas output as Ireland prepares to back plans to hike the cost of excess emissions.

Figures released by the European Commission show almost all of the country’s large carbon emitters — companies emitting more than 10,000 tonnes of damaging carbon per year — exceeded their free allocation of carbon units last year.

Most breached their allocation by between 25%-75% but, in some cases, the amount of carbon emitted was double or even treble the allocation which is intended as a guideline for acceptable emission levels.