Freezing conditions cause worrying spike in Longford air pollution

In the midlands, air quality in Longford and Athlone was among the worst in the country.

A spike in air pollution on the evening of December 9 saw Longford topping the leader board for bad air quality in Ireland with levels of pollution on a par globally with large cities like Mexico City and Whuhan in China.

Air quality is monitored continually in Ireland by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In Longford, a monitor located on the Dublin Road close to the town centre continually records the levels of particulate matter in the air.

Websites such as IQAir.com provide real-time information from air quality stations around the world so members of the public can check air pollution levels in their locality at any time.

Air monitoring results in 2021 from EPA stations across Ireland show that fine particulate matter (PM2.5), mainly from burning solid fuel in our homes, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) mainly from road traffic, remain the main threats to good air quality.

Local Green Party activist Catherine Joseph has expressed her concerns about the rising costs of energy and the potential long-term effects of poor air on the health of residents of Longford town – especially the elderly and those with compromised health conditions.

She referred to how 'government has made significant increases in the fuel allowance to help tackle fuel poverty.

Ms Joseph added, “However, we cannot ignore the longer-term health implications of poor air quality – and we need to ensure that we are all doing everything possible to reduce air pollution in Longford – to ensure that people can keep warm in their homes – and at the same time have good air quality and better health outcomes.

She encouraged everyone who is dependent on solid fuels to heat their homes to consider the advice of the EPA and to source lower smoke alternatives such as dry seasoned wood and low-smoke coal.

She also said that we need to see significant acceleration in the roll out of fully funded home retrofits under the Warmer Homes Scheme and in the approval of SEAI grants for all home energy upgrades.