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Functions of Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control Unit Why do we measure air quality?

Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control Unit Dublin City Council Martin Fitzpatrick Principal Environmental Health Officer. Functions of Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control Unit Why do we measure air quality? What pollutants do we monitor? Where do we monitor?

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Functions of Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control Unit Why do we measure air quality?

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  1. Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control UnitDublin City CouncilMartin Fitzpatrick Principal Environmental Health Officer

  2. Functions of Air Quality Monitoring and Noise Control Unit • Why do we measure air quality? • What pollutants do we monitor? • Where do we monitor? • What is air quality like in Dublin? • How does it compare to other cities? • How can the public find out about air quality in Dublin ?

  3. Key Elements of Service Monitoring Enforcement Impact Assessment Research

  4. AIR QUALITY STANDARDS REGULATIONS 2002 • Air Quality Standards • Consolidates all EU Directives • Reference Methods • Public information Requirements

  5. ISO 9001: 2000 Certification Achieved March 2002 Expanded March 2003

  6. Summary • Overall air quality is relatively good but some locations show elevated levels • Predominant pollutants are traffic emissions • Vehicle numbers and kilometres travelled continues to rise • New vehicle and clean fuel technologies Vs. Increase in Vehicles

  7. RESEARCH EU Life Resolution Research Project • 142 sites • Benzene and Nitrogen Dioxide • Six campaigns between September 2000 and July 2001

  8. Public information Requirements Local authorities required to connect all real time monitoring to a central EPA database for dissemination through the media such as internnet, aertel, etc.

  9. DIOXINS - SOURCES &EFFECTS • SOME 419 TYPES OF DIOXIN-RELATED COMPOUNDS IDENTIFIED, OF WHICH 30 ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT TOXICITY • NATURAL SOURCES INCLUDE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND FOREST FIRES • MAN-MADE SOURCES INCLUDE SMELTING, BLEACHING OF PAPER PULP, INCINERATION AND THE MANUFACTURING OF SOME HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES • EXPOSURE - SHORT TERM MAY RESULT IN SKIN LESIONS, AND ALTERED LIVER FUNCTION. • LONG-TERM MPAIRMENT OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THE DEVELOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM, THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS. • CHRONIC EXPOSURE OF ANIMALS TO DIOXINS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL TYPES OF CANCER.

  10. DIOXIN EMISSIONS INVENTORY • FOR IRELAND PUBLISHED BY EPA IN 2002 • 93G OF DIOXINS WERE GENERATED IN 2000. OF THIS, 73% OF EMISSIONS WERE GENERATED BY UNCONTROLLED COMBUSTION ACTIVITIES • NINE INDUSTRIAL INCINERATORS CURRENTLY OPERATING IN IRELAND RESPONSIBLE FOR 0.015% OF EMISSIONS. • DIOXIN EMISSIONS ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE FROM 93G IN 2000 TO 110G IN 2010 • DEFRA (UK) - 14% OF ANNUAL EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH NOVEMBER 5 BONFIRES

  11. “THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF INCINERATORS FOR MUNICIPAL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE, AS PROPOSED IN REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PLANS, WOULD CONTRIBUTE 17% OF PROJECTED EMISSIONS. THE BULK OF THESE DIOXINS WILL BE CONTAINED IN INCINERATOR ASH WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE MANAGED UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS AT LICENSED FACILITIES, THEREBY LIMITING ANY POTENTIAL RELEASE OF DIOXINS TO THE ENVIRONMENT. THESE PROPOSED INCINERATORS WOULD CONTRIBUTE 2% OF PROJECTED DIOXIN EMISSIONS TO AIR”

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