A CLEAR LINK has been found between a decrease in air pollution and Covid-19 movement restrictions, new research by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows.
According to the environmental watchdog, there was a noticeable decline in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels towards the end of March and the beginning of April.
The Agency analysed air quality data from its national monitoring stations from 12 March when schools closed and commuter traffic levels was expected to decline as employees were encouraged to work from home.
People with asthma, as well as children and the elderly are more susceptible to the chemical that can affect the throat and lungs with emphysema and cellular damage among other health issues.
NO2 is emitted when vehicles burn petrol or diesel and the EPA observed the largest decreases in NO2 at urban traffic stations. In line with the EPA findings, researchers at University College Cork (UCC) last week revealed that car pollution has dropped by 50% since Covid-19 restrictions began.
All across the world, and particularly in those hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, data shows that NO2 from cars and power plants declined as movement was restricted.
EU EnvironmentAgency / Twitter
EU EnvironmentAgency / Twitter / Twitter
Last year, the EPA reported that NO2 levels in Dublin with heavy traffic loads such as the M50 motorway, the entrance to and exit from the Dublin Port Tunnel, and certain city centre streets are possibly exceeding EU limits.
Data on air quality released by the Central Statistics Office last year shows that Ireland is a poor performer in Europe, ranking worst for nitrogen oxide levels across the bloc.
The European Environment Agency estimates that air pollution causes the premature death of around 1,200 Irish people every year.
Most deaths are, however, linked to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from the burning of solid fuels such as peat, wood, and coal.
Transport is also the largest source of energy-related carbon emissions in Ireland, accounting for 39 per cent of the share in 2018. Emissions in the sector are rising fast, projected to grow until at least 2022.
Air pollution concentrations are highly variable, changing from day to day due to fluctuations in emissions such as commuter traffic, as well as changes in weather patterns.
As such, the EPA is currently analysing NO2 concentrations from multiple previous years in order to provide a more definition analysis that will be released later this year.
SOMETHING IN THE AIR Investigation
Do you want to know more about the main causes and impacts of air quality in Ireland?
The Noteworthy team want to do an in-depth investigation into this issue to find out what is causing the problem, what we could be doing to tackle it, and how it impacts on the health of our most vulnerable citizens.
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Massaging our minds for the unavoidable massive carbon tax hike to pay for the budget shortfall caused by Covid 19.
@Daniel Dunne: your mind is massaged enough – you know the greens are a left wing party? Which side are you really on!
@Brynþór Patrekursson: the Greens are not a left wing party. I am a former member. They will happily propose measures that wealthy people can afford, but which the rest of the citizens of the nation cannot.
The death toll and people infected so far from COVID19 is awful and with that I certainly think it’s been a awake up call not only for Ireland but the world. Sustainability globally is on tender hooks. But this is a good opertunity to look at new ideas of how we can better our environment and ourselves and how we go about our daily lives. If we can work from home and pop into the office once, twice a week surely it’s better in cutting down on time wasted in traffic and with that increases in air pollution. Public transport needs to be heavily invested, we all know that. It was a disgrace tearing up all those train tracks in the 50′s. The next 10 years are going to be really important in how we develop more sustainable living and ensuring that the environment is protected and our health.
@Dominic Foley: *tenterhooks
@Marty G: blame the autocorrect but thanks for that anyway
@Dominic Foley: Hear Hear!
@Dominic Foley: well said and agree 100%. I just have invested in an ebike myself, love it soooo much!
Massive carbon taxes coming no doubt. Especially if Greens are in government.
@Adam Conroy: it won’t matter who is in government, there will have to be tax increases regardless. There’s no magic money tree.
@Alan: there is a non-magic downsizing option though. Why should ordinary workers have their standards of living further reduced to support an inefficient state that doesn’t provide value for money or good services to the people expected to pay for it all?
Those of us with respiratory & immune illnesses, driven by diesel pollution, are indeed rejoicing #MCAS
@Gavin Tobin: Totally agree Gavin, be interesting to see figures from the Asthma Society of Ireland, would expect asthma attacks are lower.
@Carla Killeen: If asthma attacks are lower it might make the penny drop with the Department of Finance that a huge percentage of taxes raised on petrol & especially diesel actually goes towards paying for the health harm caused by burning said hydrocarbons and exhausting their filthy exhaust gasses at toddler level in our towns & cities.
I think that’s a legitimate single sentence :)
No Chemtrails, Gemma and the loons must be happy.
@paul kelly:
Give it a Rest.
Imagine if she was right, and you were wrong, Keep an open mind.
So we can reduce the carbon tax hoax.
I thought they said that it was the cows that were causing all the pollution. What did they do with them over the past two months? Put masks on their hindquarters!!
have your say