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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 The Ambient Air Quality Directives set standards for 13 air quality pollutants that have an impact on human health and vegetation. When a Member State exceeds a limit value for a pollutant, it is required to prepare an air quality plan, which is also submitted to the European Commission. These plans must detail the measures that the Member State will take to bring the pollutant levels back under the limit value. A new air quality plan for Dublin will be required to address an exceedance of nitrogen dioxide limits in 2019. The EU reviewed the effectiveness of the Ambient Air Quality Directives through a process of fitness checking and concluded that they have been partially effective in improving air quality and achieving air quality standards. Additional guidance or clarification of requirements in the directives could help to make monitoring, modelling and the provisions for plans and measures more effective and efficient (EC, 2019a). Figure 3.1  EU clean air policy – the policy framework (Source: EEA, 2018) Emissions - Industrial Emissions Directive - Medium Combustion Plants Directive - Eco-design Directive - Energy efficiency - Euro and fuel standards Source-specific emission standards National emission totals: (SO 2 , NO x , VOC, PM 2.5 , NH 3 ) National Emission Ceilings Directive Air Quality Directives Maximum concentrations of ambient air pollutants Concentrations NH 3 , ammonia; NO x , nitrogen oxides; PM 2.5 , particulate matter; SO 2 , sulphur dioxide; VOC, volatile organic compounds. World Health Organization Guidelines on Air Quality World Health Organization guideline values, which the EPA uses to assess air quality, are more stringent than EU ambient air quality legislative values. The World Health Organization (WHO) first published guidance on the threshold limits for four air pollutants in 1987 (WHO, 2017). The guidance was produced based on accumulated scientific evidence and was designed to offer support in reducing the health impacts of air pollution. The guidelines have been reviewed several times, with the most recent version being completed in 2005 (WHO, 2006). In general, the guideline values recommended by the WHO are more stringent than the limits set in European legislation. The WHO is currently reviewing its air quality guidance in recognition of a much broader knowledge base regarding the adverse health effects related to short-term and long-term exposure to air pollutants (WHO, 2020). Air Quality Policy in Ireland The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has responsibility for ensuring that Ireland meets its air quality obligations under EU/international legislation and agreements. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the competent body for coordinating ambient air quality assessment. The DECC is preparing a National Clean Air Strategy (NCAS) as part of a wider NAPCP. The overall aim of the strategy will be the promotion of clean air policies to enhance and protect the quality of the air that we breathe (DCCAE, 2017). As part of the preparatory process, a Clean Air Dialogue with the European Commission, including numerous stakeholders, took place. Some of the recommendations from the Clean Air Dialogue include tackling road transport-related nitrogen oxide emissions, monitoring of ammonia emissions from agriculture and taking action on residential solid fuel use and shipping emissions (DCCAE, 2017). 64