Tag Archives: EPA

AIR pollution in Ennis has been described as “dangerously high” with levels of particulate matter associated with burning solid fuels more than seven times higher than Shanghai in recent days. Community group Better Ennis are among those voicing concerns about the “health hazard Ennis residents and visitors are exposed to”, while during one evening a UCC professor took to social media urging Ennis residents not to go outside. Green Party Senator Roísín Garvey says, “People are afraid to go for a walk in the evening because of the quality of the air.” Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn is seeking a report on air quality in Ennis from Clare County Council to be included in the monthly management report, and is reiterating calls for an Ennis Clean Air Strategy. “Short term poor air quality events or spikes have very significant adverse health impacts, they result in significant  spikes in hospital admissions for up to two days after such events,” he stated. A …

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has confirmed it doesn’t have a direct enforcement role concerning an installation or activity that is not subject to a licence issued by the agency. Responding to Clare Champion queries, the EPA recalled it received a complaint raising planning and environmental concerns about Burrenside Oil in September 2020. The EPA acknowledged receipt of the complaint and informed the complainant that Clare County Council has responsibility for dealing with the planning and environmental protection concerns described in the correspondence. The EPA also informed the complainant that it had reviewed the documents submitted and noted that the substantive complaint was one of alleged unauthorised development. It stated that it does not have a role in enforcing application of the planning and development legislation or the enforcement of planning permission conditions. After obtaining permission for GDPR compliance purposes, the EPA referred the complaint to Clare County Council for their investigation and action as appropriate in relation to the …

THERE was no evidence of oil contamination on the ground area in any part of the Burrenside Oil site at Ballygassane, Crusheen or in nearby watercourse, according to an inspection by the Environment Department of Clare County Council. On foot of a complaint received by the Environment Department last September, this department carried out two site inspections of the company, according to a report completed by an EPA complaints co-ordinator, which was obtained by the Clare Champion. The site inspection report outlined the fuel tanks on the site are all stored in bunds. The report stated, “There was no evidence of oil contamination on the ground area in any part of the site or in nearby watercourse. “An oil interceptor was observed in place at the site. There was no odour detected at the site at the time of the inspections. “The managers of the facility were advised both during the site inspections and in writing of their obligations to …

MEMBERS of a Crusheen family who have suffered “unexplained medical issues” have been let down by Clare County Council and other agencies, a North Clare civil engineer has claimed. Michael Duffy has made a Section Five referral to Clare County Council, which in turn referred it to An Bord Pleanála concerning Burrenside Oil on behalf of Maire O’Grady, Ballygassane, Crusheen. First established in October 2001, Burrenside Oil has been servicing domestic oil customers, the agricultural sector and the commercial industry in Clare and surrounding areas with its “low cost, efficient and friendly service ever since”. The company website also states it supplies fuel to more than 10,000 homes, delivering to all of Clare, Galway and Limerick. Their services include supply of home heating oil, agricultural fuels, commercial fuels, lubricants and oil tanks. Mr Duffy has alleged that Padraig and Maire O’Grady have been short changed by Clare County Council, the EPA and the HSE after they raised serious environmental concerns. …

Irish Water has been accused of causing a “public health hazard” by allowing a wastewater treatment plant to pollute a stream in West Clare that is potentially contaminating bathing waters for local swimmers. This assertion comes after an EPA report found breaches for ammonia at the Miltown Wastewater Treatment Plant were 171 times the permitted emission levels following an inspection carried out on June 10, 2021. It has also emerged that that the EPA raised concern about the absence of a proper roadway into this plant in August 2018 to facilitate desludging, which still hasn’t been properly addressed by Irish Water. North Clare civil engineer Mick Duffy has expressed major concern about the contents of an EPA report, which stated a visual inspection of the Legard Stream at its discharge points indicated widespread sewage fungus following discharges from the Miltown waste water treatment plant. Irish Water was requested to examine the pathway of this stream to the sea to identify …

TWO large Bauxite Residue Disposal Areas (BRDA) totalling an estimated 450 acres are akin to a “ticking time bomb” on the site of the largest European alumina facility located near the Shannon Estuary, a Dáil deputy has claimed. In a hard-hitting statement issued in the Dáil this week, Deputy Paul Murphy of People Before Profit claimed “there is a toxic time bomb ticking at Rusal Aughinish Alumina Limited (AAL) near Askeaton”. . “I remember visiting it when it was Aughinish Alumina, almost ten years ago, and meeting local campaigner Pat Geoghegan, who I believe the Taoiseach met when he was Minister for Health. I saw a massive, red mud storage area, which is now so big it can be seen from space. “It comprises 50 million tonnes of toxic waste. Uranium, lead, mercury and hazardous salt cake are contained within it. “It seeps into the estuary, it kills wildlife and it threatens public health. It is a result of bauxite …

ELEVATED particulate matter levels from domestic home heating systems during cold weather, as experienced in Ennis earlier this month, “is a cause of concern”, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency said it is working with Clare County Council “to better understand the causes of poor air quality in Ennis”. The Clare Champion contacted the EPA for comment after concerns were raised about the town’s air quality following the detection of a spike in air pollution levels on the night of January 16. Particulate matter (PM) are minute particles of dust, soot and smoke and the daily limit for PM10 is 50 ug/m3. PM10 of 485.38ug/m3 and PM2.5 of 467.58ug/m3 was recorded in Ennis, January 16, at 7pm, along with sulphur dioxide measuring 67.22ug/m3. On the same day, China’s notoriously smoggy capital city Beijing experienced moderate to good levels of air pollution. According to the EPA the daily average PM10 at the Ennis monitoring station for  January 16, …

AIR pollution levels in Ennis were higher than in Beijing at the weekend with the EPA’s air quality monitoring station showing a significant spike in pollutants, despite a smoky coal ban being in place in the county capital since 2011. Fears this “very harmful” pollution will result in “significant adverse health impacts” has sparked renewed calls from a former Mayor of Ennis for the establishment of an Ennis Clean Air Strategy. On Sunday evening at 7pm the EPA recorded a sharp rise in the levels of particulate matter associated with the burning of solid fuels, almost ten times higher than the EPA’s daily limit. Particulate matter (PM) are minute particles of dust, soot and smoke and the daily limit for PM10 is 50 ug/m3. PM10 of 485.38ug/m3 and PM2.5 of 467.58ug/m3 was recorded in Ennis on Sunday along with sulphar dioxide measuring 67.22ug/m3. On the same day, China’s capital city experienced moderate to good levels of air pollution. Councillor Johnny Flynn …