Silouette graphic representing Tipperary

Tipperary Air Quality

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health. Air pollution can increase the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma.

The Quality of the Air You Breath- Ambient Air Quality

When air pollution is higher than usual, people who already have heart or lung problems are more likely to become unwell and need treatment. Air pollution can also have economic and environmental impacts.

The ambient air quality pollutants of most concern on an EU-wide level are Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Particulate Matter PM10 and PM2.5, Ozone (O3) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Particulate Matter from solid fuel burning and vehicles remains the greatest threat to good air quality in Ireland. This is closely followed by Nitrogen Dioxide from transport emissions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of ambient air quality monitoring in Ireland in accordance with EU Directives. In 2017, the EPA published the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme. Under this programme, Tipperary County Council and the EPA have jointly completed a project to install Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations across Tipperary.

Data from the stations is available on the EPA website. It displays the daily PM10 and PM2.5 readings and the Air Quality Index for Health (AQIH). The AQIH is a number from 1 to 10 that tells you what the air quality currently is in the station nearest you and whether or not this might affect your health. For more information on AQIH scoring, see https://airquality.ie/information/air-quality-index-for-health

Air Quality Monitoring units have been installed in Clonmel, Tipperary Town and Nenagh.

More information on the Air Quality monitors in Tipperary can be found in Air Quality Management Plan Consultation

The EPA’s ‘Air Quality in Ireland Report 2023’ provides information on the air quality in Ireland, pollutants and steps we can all take to improve the quality of the air we breathe.

Please see Tipperary County Councils Air Pollution Complaint Reporting for information on making air pollution complaints. 

Air quality Legislation

Air Quality in Ireland is governed by the Air Pollution Act 1987 and the Regulations made under this Act.

In order to protect our health, vegetation and ecosystems, EU directives set down air quality standards in Ireland and the other member states for a wide variety of pollutants. These rules include how we should monitor, assess and manage ambient air quality and sets limits for specific pollutants .

The Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe (CAFE) Directive (2008/50/EC) was published in May 2008. The CAFE Directive was transposed into Irish legislation by the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 180 of 2011). The Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 58 of 2009) transposed the 4th Daughter Directive into Irish law.

In 2023, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications published the Clean Air Strategy which provides the framework to identify and promote the policy measures required to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner ambient air.

 Further information