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 that […]
EPA inspections find that the Food & Drink and Waste Sectors continue to dominate the EPA National Priority Site List
Thirteen sites were identified as National Priority Sites in 2022, six of these sites were from the Food & Drink sector and five were from the Waste sector. The most common issues identified at these sites were non-compliance with emission limit values, poor operation of waste water treatment plants and the handling and storage of […]
EPA awards €10.7 million for research to support environmental protection in Ireland
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced €10.7 million of research funding for 42 research projects addressing climate change and other emerging, complex environmental problems. This funding will contribute to the delivery of high-quality research, evidence-based policy development and further build Irish environmental research capacity. The funding is an important element of the EPA 2030 Research Strategy which delivers essential […]