New standards for domestic solid fuels for next year announced on International Clean Air Day

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, has marked International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies by announcing the new standards for all domestic solid fuels that will be introduced across the State within a year.

From that point on, the most polluting of fuels will no longer be available on the Irish market.

New Solid Fuel Standards

Poor air quality causes premature deaths and each year some 1,300 people die in Ireland due to air pollution from solid fuel burning. This demonstrates the extent to which the choices we make when heating our homes can impact on our own health and the communities in which we live.

Minister Ryan said:

'When this Government was formed, we gave a commitment to tackle air pollution caused by domestic solid fuel burning, and we remain committed to doing so. We took a major step earlier this year, with a public consultation on the development of new solid fuels regulations for Ireland. We received more than 3,500 responses across all strands of the consultation, with a wide variety of suggested regulatory approaches for solid fuels.

'Having considered the submissions made by the public, health experts, advocacy groups, academia and industry, a framework for legislation has been developed and drafting of the regulations is underway.'

From 2022 the following new standards for solid fuels will apply in Ireland:

• Coal, coal-based products, any manufactured solid fuel or peat briquettes will be required to have a smoke emission rate of less than 10g/hour, reducing to 5g/hr by 2025
• It is not proposed to make any changes to the smoke emission rate for biomass products (that contain coal), as this is already set at 5g/hr
• The sulphur content permitted for all fuels will be reduced from 2% to 1% over time
• Wood sold in single units under 2m³ will be required to have a moisture content of 25% or less (moving to 20% within 4 years) and wet wood sold over these volumes will be required to come with instructions for the purchaser on how to dry this wood
• In order to accommodate those with rights to harvest sod peat, no ban on its burning will be introduced. However, a regulatory regime to reduce its harm in more urbanised areas is under examination

These regulations will be finalised in the coming months and will be in place for the 2022 heating season. They are being announced now to allow those servicing the domestic solid fuel market to plan accordingly and to continue to invest in less polluting alternatives.

Minister Ryan added:

'In the meantime, I trust that people will take note of the messages in the forthcoming public awareness campaign I am announcing today, and take these simple steps to bring about better air quality and improved health for all. During this period, people are being empowered to make a conscious, personal choice to contribute to cleaner air and a healthier environment.'

Public Awareness Campaign

In advance of the new regulations, Minister Ryan is also launching a public awareness campaign focusing on the simple steps people can take to reduce air pollution from domestic fires during the winter ahead.

The campaign will be run across national and local radio stations, in the national and regional press, and on social media from late September.

The campaign will centre around three core messages or the 'ABC' for Cleaner Air, which can help bring about significant improvements in air quality:

• A - Ask yourself: 'Do I need to light a fire?' Use other cleaner heating sources instead if possible
• B - Burn cleaner, more efficient, low-smoke fuels and make sure you use the right fuel for your appliance
• C - Clean and maintain your chimneys and heating appliances at least once a year

Minister Ryan said:

'The upcoming campaign will show that there are simple steps every householder can take in order to help us achieve better air quality for all. By taking these simple steps people can help to safeguard the health of those who are at particular risk of problems caused by air pollution, such as people with asthma, children and the elderly.'

Moreover, the Minister will also open a public consultation on the forthcoming Clean Air Strategy in the near future.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

More information on International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies day is available at www.cleanairblueskies.org and at the hashtags #CleanAirForAll #worldcleanairday #healthyairhealthyplanet #breathethedifference

Useful information is also available at airquality.ie

What is PM2.5 and where does it come from?

Particulate Matter refers to both solid and liquid particles, organic and inorganic, which are suspended in the air. It involves a complex mixture of particles, which can vary in size and can consist of a variety of components such as pollen, metals, acids, sea salt, soot, smoke, soil and dust. The dominant source of PM2.5 is residential solid fuel combustion, which represented a 55.27% share of the total national PM2.5 emissions in 2019.

How do we know what the level of air pollution is?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring ambient air quality and has expanded the network of stations from 29 in 2017 to 96 today, with the network increasing further towards 110 stations. This expansion, which is funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), provides for real-time air quality monitoring across the country.

The information generated through monitoring will be augmented by a new modelling and forecasting capability, to provide forecasts to the public - a three-day national forecast system - and Nowcast maps, which will provide estimates of air quality across the country between monitoring points.

Health Impacts of Solid Fuel

Air quality is a major concern at a global level and is considered the most significant environmental risk to human health. Since the 1990s, medical research has demonstrated links between air pollution and both short and long-term health impacts, including headache, breathing difficulty, eye irritation, exacerbation of respiratory conditions and increased levels of strokes, cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

The European Environment Agency report Air Quality in Europe 2020 indicates that, in 2018, there were 1,410 premature mortalities arising from air pollution in Ireland. The vast majority of these (1,300) were attributable to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The same report indicates 16,200 Years of Life Lost, indicating significantly earlier mortality for those deaths.

Regulation of solid fuel is a recognised means of addressing this. Research indicates that the introduction of the 'smoky coal ban' in Dublin in 1990 has resulted in approximately 350 fewer mortalities per year, reducing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory mortality in the general population.

Costs of solid fuels

People have to heat their homes and concern is expressed sometimes about the cost impact of further solid fuel regulations on lower-income households who cannot afford to upgrade their heating systems. However, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) publishes a Domestic Fuels Comparison of Energy Costs report every three months, and the most recent shows that low-smoke coal (ovoids) is the most cost-efficient choice of coal in terms of heat delivered per cent, and the second most cost-efficient overall:

Existing regulations on low-smoke zones and national extension

The current low-smoke zones currently apply in the following areas:

You can check if you are in a low-smoke zone using your eircode.