Ireland generated 1.2 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2021 – EPA calls for measures to urgently tackle packaging waste
Ireland generated 1.2 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2021. Ireland is continuing to achieve high levels of recycling for glass (84 percent) and paper/cardboard (73 percent). Plastics present a serious challenge. Only 28 percent of plastic packaging waste was recycled in 2021, a long way off the 2025 EU target of 50 percent. The […]
Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies report for 2022 – EPA
The quality of drinking water from public supplies remains very high, with over 99.7% of samples compliant with bacterial and chemical limits. 481,000 people are currently served by “at-risk” supplies on the EPA’s Remedial Action List (RAL), up from 374,000 people in 2021. Persistent THM (Trihalomethane) failures were detected at supplies serving 235,000 people, doubling the population […]
EPA calls on food sector businesses to commit to reducing food waste by signing the Food Waste Charter
Approximately 800,000 tonnes of food waste is generated in Ireland each year. Ireland has committed to halving food waste by 2030 under UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. Signing the Food Waste Charter is a pledge to take action to reduce food waste. Membership of the Food Waste Charter is open to businesses that produce, process, […]
EPA finds no significant improvement in the water quality of rivers and lakes
Overall, there is no significant improvement in the biological quality of our rivers or lakes in 2022; improvements are happening in some areas but these are offset by declines elsewhere. When excess nutrients – nitrogen and phosphorus – enter our water courses, they cause an overgrowth of plants and algae. This in turn clogs up […]
Ireland projected to fall well short of climate targets, says EPA
EPA Projections indicate that: Ireland will achieve a reduction of 29 per cent in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 compared to a target of 51 per cent. Almost all sectors are on a trajectory to exceed their national sectoral emissions ceilings for 2025 and 2030, including Agriculture, Electricity Transport and Industry. The first two […]
New EPA Online portal will provide greater transparency and easier public access to environmental enforcement information
EPA providing improved access to environmental enforcement information with the launch of Phase 1 of a new online portal (LEAP Online). From today, the public will be able to access site visit reports, licensees’ responses to those reports, licensee requests for approval from the EPA, monitoring results and site updates. All communications between EPA and […]
Growth in agricultural activity driving increased ammonia emissions in Ireland in 2021 – EPA
Ireland’s ammonia emissions increased by 1% in 2021 as the impact of higher livestock numbers and fertiliser use outpaced the impact of emission reduction measures currently being implemented at farm level Ireland is non-compliant with our EU Emissions Reduction commitment in 2021 for Ammonia. Compliance with the 2030 Reduction Commitment is only possible with full […]
EPA Climate Change Lecture Series – ‘Ocean Circulation, Tipping Points and the Public Climate Debate
The EPA, in partnership with Dublin City Council, is delighted to welcome Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, Co-Head of the Research Department on Earth System Analysis the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Professor of Physics of the Oceans at the University of Potsdam. The public lecture will take place on 19th April at 7:00pm in […]
Ireland’s power generation and industrial emissions decreased by four percent in 2022
In 2022, greenhouse gas emissions from Irish power generation and industrial companies, covered by the EU Emissions Trading System, decreased by four percent. Emissions decreased by two per cent from the electricity generation sector. The decrease in industrial emissions is over seven per cent, with the cement industry emissions decreasing by almost nine per cent. […]
Introduction of incentivised waste collection charges will increase sustainability in the commercial sector
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, has signed new legislation to introduce incentivised charging for waste collection in the commercial sector. The Waste Management (Collection Permit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 will come into effect on 1st July 2023. A study published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2018 found […]
