EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Chapter Highlights for Environment and Industry Pollutant emissions to air from industry represent a significant proportion of Ireland’s total air emissions. However, releases of air pollutants by industry have significantly decreased (by over 70%) during the past decade. Overall, environmental regulation and improved pollutant abatement technology, among other factors, have delivered significant reductions in pollution and will continue to do so under new tighter standards up to 2030. The food and drink sector continues to face many challenges in maintaining environmental compliance as the industry adapts to increased agricultural production and intensification. This sector has featured strongly on the EPA priority sites list. Investment is needed to ensure that facilities in the food and drink sector meet their environmental obligations set out in EPA licences covering areas such as odour controls, noise limits and the operation of wastewater treatment systems. Environmental regulation provides a requirement that industry modernises and meets best practice in relation to controls on waste and emissions, as these actions taken to reduce emissions contributes a large dividend in terms of environmental and human health improvements. Industry can gain competitive advantages and more local support from being sustainable and having a good environmental compliance history. 276