by Robert Moss

Created on: February 04, 2009   Last Updated: March 17, 2009

Pollution may be caused by the release of a great variety of by products into the wider environment. These by products can be released to the air, the soil, or into the water system. For large industrial or agricultural polluters in Ireland an "Integrated Pollution Prevention Control" (IPPC) license is required from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This sets strict controls on

emissions, discharge, and disposal of by products by the license holder. Checks are regularly made, and the license can be reviewed or revoked by the EPA.

Agriculture is a major contributor to pollution due to the runoff from the agrochemicals that are used for modern intensive farming. These have led to problems in water supplies. In particular Nitrate and Phosphate nutrients are liable to cause algal blooms in rivers and lakes. This can lead to the contamination of drinking water supplies, and fish kills through the removal of the Oxygen from the water by the algae. To some extent these occurrences are being alleviated by the introduction of the European Union Nitrates Directive, which was finally implemented in Ireland in 2006. Rural domestic septic tanks, and tourist developments also contribute to nutrient contamination via the sewage that they discharge.

Air quality has improved in Ireland since the 1990's due to the elimination of high sulphur fuels producing Sulphur Dioxide, and the removal of lead from petro,l which contributed to Particulates. Levels of Ammonia have also dropped with the reduction in cattle numbers, and Volatile Organic Compounds from car emissions have been reduced with the use of catalytic converters. The Clean Air For Europe (CAFE) Directive comes into effect in 2010 setting strict limits on all these air pollutants. Ireland should be able to meet the targets of all barring Nitrous Oxides. Improvements in reducing the Nitrous Oxide emissions in the power sector have been completely swamped by the massive increase in car traffic.

Dioxins are released during the combustion of material containing chlorine, such as plastics. They are very stable compounds, only breaking down at temperatures above 800 degrees centigrade. Because they are so stable, when they do enter the environment they become persistent pollutants for many years. Some Dioxins are toxic, and some are even carcinogenic. The major cause of dioxin production in Ireland is due to the domestic burning of waste. Such disposal of waste in uncontrolled low temperature burning leads to the emission of dioxins to the air, and to contamination of the land through dioxins contained within the residual ash. The total emissions estimate for dioxins in the year 2000 was 93g. Of this 63g or 70% came from the following four sources:

Burning of domestic waste Accidental house fires Domestic heating and cooking Bonfires (Source: Hayes & Marnane, 2002)

It should be understood that many of the dioxins produced in this manner are the result of the greater use of plastics within packaging, which ultimately becomes refuse.

References:

Hayes, F; Marnane, I. (2002) Inventory of Dioxin and Furan Emissions to Air, Land and Water in Ireland for 2000 and 2010. Dublin: Prepared for the Environmental Protection Agency by URS Dames & Moore. [Accessed 5th January 2009]. Available from World Wide Web:

<http://www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs/research/air/epa_er tdi_dioxin_emissions%20_ertdi3_synthesis.pdf>

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