Traffic blamed for hindering Dublin's air quality

The improvement of Dublin's air quality is being held back by the volume of traffic passing through its streets on a daily basis, a new report states.

According to the Draft Dublin Regional Air Quality Management Plan 2008-2012, traffic, as well as construction and waste burning operations in Dublin are the main culprits of air pollution in the city.

Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter were found to be the two most prevailing pollutants.

The report stated that "reliance on private cars" is a significant problem and establishing "high-quality public transport" may provide an answer to this.

It concluded: "The benefit of Dublin's regeneration has been significant, but the level of public concern regarding air quality problems associated with this cannot be ignored."

Elsewhere in Europe, a member of the Environmental Engineers' Chamber stated last week that air quality monitoring in the country's biggest cities is currently not good enough and needs to be tightened.