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Ireland’s Environment 2012
38
Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs)
Ireland’s emission ceiling for VOCs is
55 kt and this was achieved in 2009.
The main sources of VOC emissions
are solvent use and transport.
Catalyst controls and improved
vapour abatement technologies
in gasoline vehicles achieved large
reductions in VOC emissions.
The contribution from solvent
use remains relatively constant in
absolute terms even though drivers
such as population, paint use and
pharmachem industrial activity have
increased in recent years.
Ammonia (NH
3
)
NH
3
emissions are associated with
acid deposition and the formation
of secondary particulate matter.
Ireland’s emission ceiling for NH
3
is
116 kt and this was achieved in 2003
and remains below the target. The
agriculture sector (cattle population)
accounts for virtually all ammonia
emissions in Ireland. NH
3
levels will
rise and may become problematic if
cattle numbers increase to their pre-
2000 levels.
Other Transboundary Pollutants
Ireland also reports emission
inventories annually for a significant
range of pollutants under the
Convention on Long-Range
Transboundary Air Pollution. These
inventories include heavy metals,
particulate matter and persistent
organic pollutants such as dioxins,
PAHs, hexachlorobenzene and
polychlorinated biphenyl. Historical
data on these pollutants, along
with Ireland’s Inventory Report for
2011, can be obtained on the EMEP
Centre on Emission Inventories and
Projections website (CEIP, 2012).
Critical Loads of Acidification
and Eutrophication
The concept of critical loads is
used across Europe for assessment
and management of ecosystems
that are sensitive to atmospheric
pollutant deposition which causes
acidification or eutrophication. These
are mainly sulphur and nitrogen
species produced by industrial
and agricultural activities and
combustion. Environmental damage
is inevitable if the critical load for an
ecosystem is exceeded. Prevention
of such damage is a key objective
of the UNECE CLRTAP and EU NEC
Directive.
Figure 3.6
Average Accumulated Exceedance of Critical Loads of Acidification in 1990, 2000 and 2020
(Source: Posch et al., 2011)
1990
eq ha
-1
a
-1
no exceedance
<200
200 - 400
400 - 700
700 - 1200
> 1200
2000
2020
forecast