Environmental quality and heritage issues

1. Environmental quality and heritage issues Three most important environmental issues in cities are air pollution, waste disposal and water quality

2. Air pollution • Burning of fossil fuels and traffic emissions lead to poor air quality and high pollution • Laws been produced due to poor air qualities in many cities • Smog is a brownish yellow haze caused when the sun light cause pollutants in the air to chemically react with each other • Nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds: can cause ground level ozone causing lung problems and reduce plant growth

3. Air pollution • Particulate matter: can cause bronchitis or asthma • Mega cities around the world tend to have a smog problem • Smog can cause Acid Rain which damages buildings and statues • Till 1980s a layer of fog surrounded Dublin and other urban centres (in Ireland caused by mixing fog and smoke) • Hospital admissions and death for respirtory disorders high

4. Air pollution • Air pollution act 1987: banned the sale of smoky coal in cities • Special Control areas were created in which only smokeless fuels could be used • Major urban areas followed this policy • Reduced winter smog and reduced pollution levels by 70%, linked with a decrease in death rates

5. Reducing air pollution • Irish EPA states that traffic emissions are the greatest cause of pollution in Ireland • Nitrogen Oxides and Benzene • Under Kyoto Protocol Ireland must reduce its air pollution • Methods used for reducing air pollution include: • Setting lower speed limits on roads • Making shopping areas pedestrianised • Placing a congestion charge on cars entering certain parts of cities • Laws regarding use of cleaner fuels • Converting public transport to battery power • Require industries to remove pollutants from emissions

6. Smog in Los Angeles • Clean air act of 1970 succeeded in limiting the build up of smog in urban areas • A smoky dark haze is a regular occurrence • EPA measures levels of smog and regulates producers • Vehicle emissions is the most common cause • The smog irritates the eyes and throat and may lead to respiratory failure

7. Waste disposal in Urban areas • Almost 2 tonnes of waste is produced per person per year • The UN Development Programme estimates more that five million people die a year from diseases related to inadequate waste disposal • Under EU law all member must manage there own waste disposal system • In Ireland fully integrated waste management system is being put into place with the objective being 40% recycling, 40% thermal treatment and 20% landfill

8. Methods of waste disposal: Landfill disposal • Giant rubbish dump • In the past cheap method of disposal • Sao Paulo: poor people often search landfills for scrap metal and things they can sell • About 60% of Irelands waste ends up in landfill • Landfills generate methane gas • Contamination of land or water due to movement of material • In sustainable society landfill should only be used when all options have been exhausted

9. Methods of waste disposal: Landfill disposal Landfill disposal • Fire is a serious risk: 2011 a fire occurred in Co. Kildare in a disused landfill, fire lasted several weeks and caused pollution in local areas • Urgent need for new methods to replace landfill 16/29 of landfills in Ireland have three years capacity left • Pay by weight system for household waste: annual payment for collection, pay by weight, result waste been reduced • West Cork 43% reduction in waste sent to landfill since pay by weight system came into play

10. Methods of waste disposal: Incineration • Deals with waste that cant be recycled • Mass burn incinerators burn all waste incl. recyclable material • Reduces waste by 75% in weight and 90% in volume generating energy that can be harvested for electricity • Burnt at 850°C, most of the ash is non hazardous: can be used for road construction

11. Methods of waste disposal: Incineration • Release greenhouse gases: dioxins, chemicals that weaken the immune system • Ringsend, Dublin, incinerator faced years of opposition: • 2011 permission granted • Will handle 600,000 tonnes per annum • Produce 56 megawatts of electricity: enough for 80,000 homes and 20% of Dublin's household electricity needs • Reduce reliance on landfill

12. Hazardous waste • Is classified as being hazardous when it displays properties that ,make it dangerous or harmful to human health and the environment • Ireland has 164, 661 tonnes of hazardous waste produced each year • Currently has no dedicated waste landfill disposal facilities • Transported to other countries to be treated through Indaver Ireland’s Hazardous Waste Facility at Dublin Port

13. Water quality Issues • Management and treatment of water is responsibility of local authorities • Water is sourced in Rivers, Springs, Lakes and Streams • All water is treated before consumption • Dublin: June 2003, water quality poor at Bull Island • Unsightly algal growth built up on Dollymount strand as a result of nitrogen pollution from sewerage in Dublin Bay • Changed since 2003 as the €300 million Ringsend water treatment plant came online

14. Dublin Bay Project • Waste treatment plant to meet EU and Dublin Bay water quality standards • A pumping station at Sutton • A submarine pipeline under Dublin Bay to bring waste water from north Dublin to Ringsend for treatment • Treats 300million litres a day

15. Dublin Bay Project Benefits of the Dublin Bay Project • Improved water quaility in Dublin Bay • Dollymount, Sandymount, and Merrion Strand meet the EU national bathing standards • Dumping of sewerage in the sea has stopped • Untreated sewerage is no longer discharged at Howth

16. Heritage and planning issues in Urban Areas • Heritage is about people, the places where they live and the things they have in common • It includes the built and natural environment • Up until 2016 the government will invest excess of 8 billion

17. Heritage issues in urban areas:1. Destruction of the historic buildings: • As a result of urban decay buildings of architectural and historical interest were destroyed and replaced with modern structures • 1960s and 1970s many Georgian buildings were demolished in Dublin and the other Irish cities ie. The redevelopment of ‘the Georgian Mile’

18. Heritage issues in urban area 2. Derelict sites: • As a result of destruction of historical buildings preservation orders put on many buildings • Discourages property owners from developing sites • 1970s and 1980s derelict buildings were eyesores ie. St Stephens Green shopping centre was an old flea market Dandelion Market • Urban renewal act of 1986 aimed to balance urban development and preservation of buildings • The act has blocked intended construction in order to balance commercial interests and conservation

19. Heritage issues in urban area 3. Protection of heritage sites: • Under 2000 planning act authorities are required to protect buildings of architectural, historic and artistic interest • Listed protected properties may not be demolished or altered, if ignored then developers will be forced to rebuild the properties • Planning permission now requires excavations on sites being developed • Building of the M2 close to the hill of Tara caused controversy

20. Carrickmines Castle planning controversy • Historical important site in Dublin caused controversy • The area became a controversial archaeological site in south Dublin in the late 1990s as the M50 motorway was designed to run through the site • Castle was built in Norman times • Castle was destroyed in a siege in the 1642 rebellion • All that remained section of a medieval wall, part of the gate house, a tower and ditches

21. Carrickmines Castle planning controversy • Authorities approved new route for the M50 through the site in 1997 • Protesters occupied the site for more than 155 days, became battleground for development versus heritage forces • Site was excavated for two years by archaeologist • During early completion of the extension of the M50 1/3 of the site was destroyed • When the final junction was built it destroyed the rest of the site

22. Carrickmines Castle planning controversy • To speed up construction the government amended the National Monument Act in 2004 to balance the benefits of archaeological preservation against public interest • Public interest was reducing traffic congestion • Amendment appealed in the high court in 2006 where it ruled in favour of the government

23. Planning issues with land use change • In the past urban redevelopment schemes rarely considered the opinions of residents and local businesses etc • Today planning is carefully controlled • Modern legislation states that all partners in a community need to be consulted • Protecting the interest of heritage, society and economy is part of the consultative process • The HARP scheme in Dublin is a good example of this (Historic Area Regeneration Project)