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Saturday 2 December 2023 Dublin: 2°C

# EPA

This week
26th November 2023 - 2nd December 2023
Just 28% of plastic packaging recycled as country remains off track to meet EU targets
While there was a notable decrease in hazardous waste, the EPA found that Ireland remains behind on targets overall.
11.6k
64
Tue 6:30 AM
Last month
November 2023
Councils told to 'prioritise' inspections for air, noise and water pollution
The EPA found that many key environmental indicators are ‘static or trending in the wrong direction’.
7.3k
0
Nov 14th 2023, 6:15 AM
Ireland's new national air quality forecast goes live today
The forecast will allow people to read maps that show a predicted daily air quality in their area for up to three days.
23.1k
65
Nov 3rd 2023, 6:00 AM
This year
2023
Dr Catherine Conlon: Sewage in our waterways has huge health and environmental consequences
The public health doctor looks at the latest EPA wastewater treatment report and the damage that sewage-infected water can cause to our health and environment.
7.7k
17
Oct 28th 2023, 6:45 AM
Over half of Ireland's waste water discharges still aren't meeting EU standards
The EPA released its Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2022 report today.
6.7k
6
Oct 26th 2023, 12:10 AM
EPA says 'urgent action' is needed to improve quality of drinking water from private supplies
The EPA said urgent action is required to improve the standards.
6.5k
5
Oct 20th 2023, 6:30 AM
Swimming restrictions hit over half of all Irish bathing waters this summer
A report by
Alice Chambers
Sea swimming has never been more popular but risks of pollution are also rising.
Noteworthy analysed over 1,600 restrictions from the last decade and they almost tripled over that time
Restrictions include swimming bans and warnings of pollution risk
Expert: “More needs to be done to keep the water in our rivers, lakes and beaches clean”
30.1k
19
Oct 19th 2023, 9:05 AM
Two thirds of general waste could've been recycled or composted, EPA finds
Food waste made up 30% of the content found in commercials waste bins in 2022.
11.5k
32
Sep 22nd 2023, 6:15 AM
FactFind: Do more than a thousand people die per year in Ireland due to burning solid fuels?
The Farmers’ Alliance, which says it will run as a political party, mocked claims made by a Green minister during a debate on turf.
21.0k
0
Aug 31st 2023, 9:00 PM
Opinion: So, it's now forbidden to tweet about reducing meat consumption - in a climate crisis?
Dr Catherine Conlon examines the controversy this week surrounding a deleted EPA tweet advocating reducing meat consumption.
25.3k
86
Updated
Aug 29th 2023, 8:30 PM
EPA deletes tweet about Meat Free Mondays after farmer complaints
The tweet encouraged people to “cut down your red meat intake” and “try veggie recipes”.
19.3k
82
Aug 28th 2023, 10:28 PM
EPA releases industrial water register for first time - but redacts almost 150 farm businesses
A report by
Eoghan Dalton
Businesses across a host of industries must register if they are abstracting 25,000 litres of water per day.
22.3k
16
Aug 28th 2023, 12:05 AM
Ireland at risk of missing plastic recycling targets, with most plastic waste incinerated
New figures from the EPA show that just 28% of plastics are recycled in Ireland.
9.9k
51
Aug 24th 2023, 1:57 PM
Nearly 500,000 people receive drinking water from 'at-risk' public supplies
A report by
Lauren Boland
The quality of drinking water in Ireland is very high overall but there are several issues for Uisce Éireann to address, says the EPA.
22.5k
50
Aug 1st 2023, 12:05 AM
Ireland at risk of breaking carbon budget limit as emissions fell only 2% last year
A report by
Lauren Boland
Staying within the first carbon budget will require an “extremely challenging annual reduction” of 12.4% in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
26.1k
141
Updated
Jul 14th 2023, 2:34 PM
One fifth of septic tanks deemed a 'risk' to human health and environment, report shows
Inspections by Clare, Waterford and Offaly councils last year were “well below” their requirements, EPA said.
15.7k
14
Jun 28th 2023, 12:10 AM
Dozens more inspectors needed to tackle the 'wicked problem' of farm water pollution
The report found there to be just 11 full-time equivalent council staff for farm inspections across the country.
15.0k
48
Jun 18th 2023, 12:05 AM
'Extremely disappointing': Water quality in rivers and lakes fails to make upward strides
Improvements in water quality in some areas last year were matched by a similar rate of decline in others, the EPA has found.
13.8k
35
Updated
Jun 14th 2023, 2:35 PM
Department of Agriculture pressured EPA not to release list of farms pumping from rivers
A report by
Eoghan Dalton
The list, which the EPA has refused to release, also contains information on data centres and quarries.
A Social Democrats TD said they were concerned if the Department of Agriculture was 'stymieing' environmental work.
The claim appeared in a ruling in which a decision by the EPA to withhold its water abstraction register for 1,223 locations across the country was overturned.
All locations are abstraction points where water is removed as part of activities related to farming, quarries, data centres and some semi-State bodies.
35.6k
34
Jun 3rd 2023, 12:05 AM
Govt say EPA report 'doesn't tell the full story' and won't concede targets will be missed
Coalition leaders say some modeling is not contained in the EPA report.
6.4k
32
Jun 2nd 2023, 2:48 PM
Ireland to fail on climate targets as lack of policy proves to be a stumbling block
The EPA’s Laura Burke said Ireland still needs to “grasp the nettle” of climate change.
EPA: Ireland needs to 'grasp the nettle' of climate change.
9.0k
80
Jun 2nd 2023, 8:01 AM
Did your local beach get a Blue Flag this year? The 2023 list has been announced
Three beaches in Mayo have been added to the list of beaches who were awarded a Blue Flag for the 2023 bathing season.
21.9k
13
May 19th 2023, 2:00 PM
EPA reveals Ireland's good and bad bathing sites as improvement continues
A report by
Jamie McCarron
79% of 148 bathing sites surveyed have ‘Excellent’ water quality while 97% meet the minimum standard.
18.2k
2
May 12th 2023, 12:21 AM
Meat rendering plant allowed to expand capacity despite complaints of 'rotten' smell over city
The plant had applied to increase its capacity for meat from 375 tonnes of meat per day to 600 tonnes.
26.2k
0
Feb 28th 2023, 12:05 AM
Last year
2022
Intensive farming set to ramp up if planned pig and poultry farms approved
If given the go ahead, up to 12 million more chickens and 55,000 more pigs would be industrially reared.
If given the go ahead, up to 12 million more chickens and 55,000 more pigs would be industrially reared
This would produce roughly 26,000 tonnes of excrement annually, Noteworthy reports
Climate scientist: Proposed increase 'especially concerning' given impact on ammonia emissions
The Explainer x Noteworthy: Is Ireland a dumping ground for poultry manure?
'Canary in the coal mine': Protected nature areas under pressure from poultry farming
22.1k
61
Dec 13th 2022, 12:05 AM
Rising levels of waste making it difficult to increase recycling rates, EPA warns
The EPA’s national waste statistics report for 2020 has been published today.
7.5k
9
Dec 7th 2022, 6:00 AM
Report: Here are the counties performing the best and worst on local environment issues
The EPA has identified the highest and lowest-performing local authorities on issues like air and water quality and waste.
20.7k
5
Nov 15th 2022, 6:00 AM
Ireland continues to pump poorly treated sewage into rivers and lakes nationwide
The EPA says just 51% of sewage was treated to the EU standards.
15.3k
30
Oct 20th 2022, 7:29 AM
Only half of Irish rivers and lakes able to sustain healthy ecosystems for fish and insects
The decrease in water quality is mostly caused by agricultural activities, particularly on the southeast and southern coasts
8.9k
19
Oct 14th 2022, 6:15 AM
Irish Water too slow at replacing lead pipes – EPA
The EPA said it is ‘unacceptable’ that it would take 24 years to replace Irish Water’s lead pipe connections.
11.0k
43
Oct 7th 2022, 6:53 AM
Ireland's nuclear emergency response plan tested yesterday for the first time in five years
The training exercise was held to ‘test the national response to a nuclear emergency abroad’.
19.8k
31
Sep 30th 2022, 12:26 PM
There are 'concerning localised issues' impacting negatively on air people breathe, EPA warns
The EPA has today launched its annual air quality report, Air Quality in Ireland 2021.
9.6k
19
Sep 20th 2022, 6:15 AM
Public urged to make an Enduring Power of Attorney as research shows just 6% have done so
Safeguarding Ireland has urged people to plan ahead to ‘reduce adult abuse’.
34.5k
15
Sep 12th 2022, 1:40 PM
Carlow company told to engage with EPA following complaints about strong odour
The council launched an investigation following complaints from residents.
41.0k
4
Sep 10th 2022, 7:30 AM
EPA seeks report from Waterford council over use of bleach to 'disinfect' rivers since 1980s
A report by
Eoghan Dalton
It comes following outcry over the use of the chemical near popular beaches in the county.
The local authority's use of sodium hypochlorite dates back to the 1988 - far longer than previously thought.
The Environmental Protection Agency has now sought a report from Waterford City and County Council over its use of chlorine.
22.3k
12
Aug 30th 2022, 12:05 AM
Eamon Ryan says 'we have to do more' as greenhouse gas emissions top pre-pandemic levels
The figures show an increase in emissions of 4.7% in 2021 compared to 2020, when Covid restrictions had led to a significant decrease in emissions.
The Environmental Protection Agency report shows an increase in emissions of 4.7% in 2021 compared to 2020, when Covid-19 restrictions were in place.
There was a 17.6% increase in emissions from the energy industries sector, attributable to a tripling of coal and oil use in electricity generation last year.
Agriculture emissions increased by 3% last year, the third year in a row that emissions have risen in the sector.
'Impossible' targets would undermine agri-sector's 'green image', McConalogue told Ryan
Ireland 'urgently' needs to do more to protect coasts and adapt to climate change impacts
25.0k
81
Updated
Jul 21st 2022, 2:22 PM
The Explainer x Noteworthy: Is Ireland a dumping ground for poultry manure?
Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent and journalist Ella McSweeney tell Susan Daly about concerns over the cross-border poultry manure trade.
3.9k
0
Jul 9th 2022, 9:30 AM
Deaths of at least 80 cows in last decade linked to spreading of poultry manure
A report by
Niall Sargent
Cross-border investigation reveals concerns over regulation of the trade in poultry litter, an increasingly important natural fertiliser used on crops and vegetables.
16 farms inspected in last decade over concerns with poor spreading of poultry litter, Noteworthy reveals
In the most impactful case, 19 dairy cows died across two farms from botulism linked to litter spreading
Difficult for authorities to identify farms of origin of the litter for inspection or further action
'Canary in the coal mine': Protected nature areas under pressure from poultry farming
'Potential fraud' in poultry farm planning applications investigated in the North
14.4k
10
Jul 8th 2022, 12:05 AM
'Canary in the coal mine': Protected nature areas under pressure from poultry farming
Cross-border investigation reveals serious environmental and air quality concerns from ammonia produced by the rapidly expanding poultry industry on the island of Ireland.
9.6k
5
Jul 7th 2022, 6:30 AM
'Potential fraud' in poultry farm planning applications investigated in the North
A report by
Niall Sargent
Noteworthy cross-border project reveals serious concerns over the authenticity of documents claimed to be from an Irish State body.
Falsified or altered Teagasc letters used in 23 poultry farm planning cases in the North, Noteworthy reveals
Both national and local authorities in the North are currently investigating the issue
Several cases of dumping of poultry litter discovered in Northern Ireland since 2015
16.8k
15
Jul 6th 2022, 12:05 AM
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