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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Figure 14.6  Air Quality Index for Health map and accompanying health messages for at-risk groups and the general population (Source: EPA) ACCOMPANYING HEALTH MESSAGES FOR AT-RISK GROUPS AND THE GENERAL POPULATION BAND INDEX AT-RISK INDIVIDUAL * GENERAL POPULATION Good 1 Enjoy your usual outdoor activities Enjoy your usual outdoor activities 2 3 Fair 4 Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, who experience symptoms, should consider reducing strenuous physical activity, particularly outdoors. Enjoy your usual outdoor activities 5 6 Poor 7 Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, who experience symptoms, should reduce strenuous physical activity, and particularly if they experience symptoms. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion. Anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, cough or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors 8 9 Very Poor 10 Adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems, and older people should avoid strenuous physical activity. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Environmental Noise The WHO has classified transport-related noise (from road, rail and air traffic) as the second leading environmental cause of ill health after air pollution, which highlights noise as a pollutant and health risk that needs more attention nationally. The adverse effects on health of long-term exposure to excessive noise are of increasing concern, and the WHO has classified transport-related noise (from road, rail and air traffic) as the second leading environmental cause of ill health after air pollution (WHO, 2011). In Europe, at least 20 per cent of the population currently resides in areas where noise levels are deemed to be harmful to health. It is estimated that long-term exposure to noise contributes to 48,000 new cases of heart disease and 12,000 premature deaths every year, while 22 million people suffer severe annoyance and 6.5 million experience severe sleep disturbance. Moreover, it is estimated that 12,500 children may suffer learning impairment every year due to aircraft noise alone (EEA, 2019b). 366