This article is from page 21 of the 2011-05-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
AIR quality in Shannon is clean, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is monitoring levels on a continuous basis.
The EPA has placed a mobile laboratory in the town and is actively analysing the quality of the air in the town and surrounding areas.
The initiative is set to continue for up to a year.
This is part of a comprehensive assessment of air quality in all major cities and towns in Ireland.
Initial results from the assessment show that levels of all parameters being measured are well below limit values set for the protection of human health, according to the EPA.
An assessment was started in March, on foot of requests from local town councillors. This assessment is done via a trailer, which is located at the rear of the civic offices in Shan- non. Analysers are contained in the trailer and these are read on a regular basis. Concentrations of oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and benzene and toluene are being measured.
According to Kevin Delaney of the EPA, the readings last month were good. “I have looked at the data for the past month and Shannon is pretty clean. That’s provisional data,” he said.
“We are called in to do assessments on a routine basis around the country. We were required to come down and do an air quality assessment within Shannon.
“We have a number of trailer units that we bring around the country and do assessments. We will be there (in Shannon) for six months; maybe up to a year,” he said. “We are assessing for parameters in accordance with the 2008 Cafe Directive.
“It came up at a councillors’ meeting in Clare and that is why we de- cided to do this,” Mr Delaney said.
At a meeting of Shannon Town Council last week, Independent councillor Gerry Flynn welcomed the news that the EPA was monitoring air quality in Shannon and said that businesses must play a key role in this.
“I’m looking forward to the findings. I’m glad that they are staying for 12 months. If it’s a decision I have to take on health or jobs, it’s health unfortunately. Every business has to make sure the Ts are crossed and the Is dotted. What we need in this town is clean industry,” he said.
Fine Gael councillor Seán McLoughlin said, “I would like to see 24-hour monitoring all the time.”
In addition to the trailers that are moving from one location to another, there is also a fixed network whereby a number of sites nationwide are monitored on a continuous basis. One of those sites is Ennis.