The Irish environment ministry is seeking to improve air quality and public health by extending restrictions on the use of bituminous coal to all urban areas. A ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal now covers 20 Irish towns and cities, where coarse particulate concentrations have halved as a result.
Residential emissions are the country’s second largest source of particulate matter (PM) and have shown little improvement for years. The new plan should – if adopted – aid compliance with the 2008 EU air quality directive, which requires a reduction in PM2.5 exposure by 2020. New emission limits for PM2.5 may also be introduced under the forthcoming revision of the 2001 National Emission Ceilings (NEC) directive.
Source: ENDS Europe DAILY, 16 April 2012
