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A national ban on the sale of smoked charcoal and restrictions on the sale of uncured grass and wood are among the proposed new regulations on solid fuels.
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said this is to prevent deaths caused by particles, the tiny pieces of soot, ash or dust produced by fires.
Solid fuel is, along with motorized transport, one of the main sources of particulate matter in Ireland, and European research has found that fine particulate pollution caused 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland in 2018.
The sale of bituminous or smoked coal in Ireland has been banned in all cities and towns with a population of more than 10,000 people, and the new proposals would see that ban spread nationally.
The sale of other solid fuels, such as wet or uncured wood, or grass, could also be banned. Ryan has said that people who mow their own lawn or obtain it through “traditional arrangements” could still do so, but the sale of grass through retail or distribution would stop.
Solid smokeless fuels that meet Air Pollution Act regulations, such as briquettes, smokeless charcoal, and dry wood, could still be sold.
The Department has also said that there should be steps to help people move toward cleaner ways of heating their homes, and notes commitments to a home insulation retrofit program included in the Climate Action Plan.
The Environmental Protection Agency has welcomed the proposals, saying that “levels of air pollutants in Ireland are above World Health Organization reference values at monitoring stations across the country.”
“This includes exceedances of the WHO guidelines for particulate matter from burning smoky fuel in cities, towns and villages.”
Doctors who have investigated the effects of air pollution also favor stricter restrictions on solid fuels.
Dr Colm Byrne is a consultant geriatrician at Mater Hospital Dublin and has found that spikes in particle pollution during the winter months increase the risk of people suffering from strokes.
He also points out that lighting fires or stoves affects not only the quality of the air outside, but also inside the home. He said that researchers at Trinity College Dublin have found a link between increased particle pollution and dementia.
Anyone who wants to comment on the proposals can do so, contributing to the public consultation that will last until April 2.
Details are available on the Department of the Environment website.
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