EPA keeping a weather eye at Shannon

Air quality in Shannon is being monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), following a request by the local town council.

At this week’s meeting of the council, a letter was read out which confirmed that the EPA began an assessment of air quality in Shannon in March and it will continue for about a year.
A real-time air quality rating from the station is available on the EPA website and at the time of writing, the ranking was ‘good’, the second-best rating on the scale. The monitoring is for levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, benzene and PM10. Last June, the council sought monitoring, with concerns raised about rates of cancer and asthma in the area.
At the time, the members gave their backing to a motion from Councillor Gerry Flynn calling for an air-monitoring system to be installed. “I don’t want to scaremonger but from a health perspective we can’t afford to have dirty industry in our backyard,” he commented
At Tuesday’s meeting, Councillor Flynn said he was pleased the monitoring is underway. “Jobs are one thing but health is another. I know that people are questioning it but if there is a decision between jobs and health, health wins out.”
He claimed that respiratory problems and cancer are “fairly prevalent” in Shannon, adding that he was pleased that Clare County Council had engaged with the EPA in “a positive way”.
Councillor Sean McLoughlin said he hoped monitoring is taking place on a 24-hour basis, while Councillor Tony McMahon said regulations are in existence and must be adhered to.
The monitoring site is located on the premises of the council offices in Shannon.
The letter from the EPA praised the county council’s role in putting the monitoring equipment in place.