Real-time air quality monitor launched for Cork

The Cork City Air Quality Dashboard shows the air quality at various locations across the city based on hourly average concentrations of PM2.5, which is considered the most harmful of all pollutants to public health

A smog-like haze hanging over Cork city. The Environmental Protection Agency said particulate matter from the burning of solid fuel is estimated to cause 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland.

Cork people can now monitor the quality of the air across the city following the launch of a website that examines pollutants in the local atmosphere in real-time.

The Cork City Air Quality Dashboard – which can be seen at corkairquality.ie – shows the air quality at various locations across the city based on hourly average concentrations of PM2.5.

PM stands for particulate matter, which is the combination of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.

Great to see Cork City air quality dashboard now live. @CRAClabUCC & @corkcitycouncil have been working on these sensors for some time.
Dashboard shows #corrected particulate matter levels (#PM2_5) after extensive calibration against reference monitors. pic.twitter.com/rm9xAHxmof

— Dean Venables (@DeanVenables) March 10, 2021

The measurements for the new dashboard are obtained using Ireland’s first citywide network of low-cost PM2.5 sensors, developed by Cork City Council in association with the Centre for Research into Atmospheric Chemistry (CRAC) at University College Cork (UCC).

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ireland was above World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline value levels at 33 monitoring sites in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, mostly due to the burning of solid fuel in cities, towns and villages.

The EPA's report in December said particulate matter from the burning of solid fuel is estimated to cause 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland, while nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from transport emissions is also polluting urban areas.

It warned the indications were that Ireland will exceed EU limit values for NO2 at further monitoring stations in the future.

In Cork, recent air quality monitoring has show that areas in and around the city centre and suburbs have been poor throughout the day.

The new dashboard is measured using a network of Purple Air sensors deployed across Cork City, and will also be compared with monitoring by UCC's Air Quality Monitoring Station over a period of a year in order to correct any anomalies.

Local, hourly averaged data is valuable for helping members of the public, including at-risk groups, to reduce their exposure to outside air pollution. Data from the network has shown considerable variations in air quality between neighbourhoods. 

"It has also shown that air quality in the city can change dramatically over time, especially on winter days. 

"Air quality in Cork city, like elsewhere in Ireland, is broadly acceptable, but can deteriorate quickly during winter evenings as households burn solid fuel (peat, wood, coal) for heating," the dashboard says.

Green Party city councillor Dan Boyle said the dashboard "is an important tool in helping to achieve the best air quality possible in the city", and will be "especially important for better public awareness and confidence".

Cork City Council also recently launched its Draft Air Quality Strategy for 2021 to 2026 for feedback from the public.

The strategy outlines the actions the local authority will undertake between 2021 and 2026 to reduce the concentrations of air pollutants in the city area, thereby positively impacting on the health and quality of life of residents and visitors, it said.

Environment minister Eamon Ryan has also launched a national public consultation on solid fuel use for domestic home heating.