EPA appeals to Cork's northsiders to join air quality initiative
Nitrogen dioxide causes inflammation of the airways in high doses, which can cause irreversible damage to the respiratory system. Traffic congestion is a major contributor of nitrogen dioxide.
Homes and businesses across Cork's northside have been asked to help an environmental initiative aiming to monitor and improve air quality in the city.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and An Taisce's Environmental Education Unit put out a public appeal for 1,000 people in Cork City to become citizen scientists and measure air pollution in recent weeks.
While uptake has been strong in some areas of Cork, with more than 650 already signed up before the project begins on October 3, there is a dearth of volunteers among businesses and homes across the north west and north east of the city, the EPA said.
The project will see monitoring devices placed in premises to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels throughout October.
In Ireland, concerns around air pollution have grown in recent years, with campaigners, including major health bodies, pointing to the 1,400 lives needlessly lost here every year.
Particulate matter is all solid and liquid particles suspended in air, such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.
Nitrogen dioxide causes inflammation of the airways in high doses, which can cause irreversible damage to the respiratory system. Traffic congestion is a major contributor of nitrogen dioxide.
The project will see the monitoring tube placed for four weeks, with citizens then asked to post it back to the EPA for analysis afterwards.
The entire process will not cost participants anything, with postage paid.
The agency has called for more volunteers from Ballincollig to Blarney, the northside of the city, within the city itself, as well as non-homeowners such as businesses, community groups, and building users.
People who would like to sign up should go to www.cleanairtogether.ie to register as a participant.
Results should be available early next year, the EPA said, and will help inform Cork City Council’s Air Quality Strategy.
It follows a similar project in Dublin, which took place in autumn 2021 when more than 1,000 residents measured NO2 levels in their local environment.
Fears for the quality of air across the country continue to grow, with more people expected to turn to burning wood and fossil fuels throughout the winter in a bid to stave off the costs of turning on central heating, with gas prices rocketing in recent weeks.
University College Cork (UCC) emeritus chemistry professor and air quality campaigner John Sodeau said he has been speaking of the dangers of burning fuels for heating for the past five years, and is dismayed at the choices now facing people because of the energy crisis brought on by a number of factors including the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"The question is how do we move on from here in keeping the public safe — heat or health?
"The sales of wood are soaring. So are wood stoves. It’s already becoming clear that it will become the fuel of choice in Ireland this winter. That is not good for any of us.
"Although burning dry wood releases fewer toxic particles than wet wood, they can kill at any concentration level. It’s not clear to me how the commercial sale of wood types will be policed by the council inspectors promised by the government from October 31.
"In any case, what’s to stop people burning any old wood they stumble across? Or stockpile and store dry wood for months outdoors in the rain? The only answer I have at the moment is for people to be helped to understand the risks of burning any solid fuel and make choices in their homes for family and neighbours accordingly," Prof Sodeau said.
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