# EPA

Last week

17th September 2023 - 23rd September 2023

# Rubbish

Two thirds of general waste could've been recycled or composted, EPA finds

Food waste made up 30% of the content found in commercials waste bins in 2022.

11.3k

Fri 6:15 AM

Last month

August 2023

# factcheck

FactFind: Do more than a thousand people die per year in Ireland due to burning solid fuels?

The Farmers’ Alliance, which says it will run as a political party, mocked claims made by a Green minister during a debate on turf.

20.7k

Aug 31st 2023, 9:00 PM

Voices

Opinion: So, it's now forbidden to tweet about reducing meat consumption - in a climate crisis?

Dr Catherine Conlon examines the controversy this week surrounding a deleted EPA tweet advocating reducing meat consumption.

25.1k

Updated

Aug 29th 2023, 8:30 PM

# Environmental Protection Agency

EPA deletes tweet about Meat Free Mondays after farmer complaints

The tweet encouraged people to “cut down your red meat intake” and “try veggie recipes”.

19.3k

Aug 28th 2023, 10:28 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

EPA releases industrial water register for first time - but redacts almost 150 farm businesses

A report by

Eoghan Dalton

Businesses across a host of industries must register if they are abstracting 25,000 litres of water per day.

22.2k

Aug 28th 2023, 12:05 AM

# circular economy

Ireland at risk of missing plastic recycling targets, with most plastic waste incinerated

New figures from the EPA show that just 28% of plastics are recycled in Ireland.

9.6k

Aug 24th 2023, 1:57 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

Nearly 500,000 people receive drinking water from 'at-risk' public supplies

A report by

Lauren Boland

The quality of drinking water in Ireland is very high overall but there are several issues for Uisce Éireann to address, says the EPA.

22.4k

Aug 1st 2023, 12:05 AM

This year

2023

THE MORNING LEAD

Ireland at risk of breaking carbon budget limit as emissions fell only 2% last year

A report by

Lauren Boland

Staying within the first carbon budget will require an “extremely challenging annual reduction” of 12.4% in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

26.0k

142

Updated

Jul 14th 2023, 2:34 PM

# Environment

One fifth of septic tanks deemed a 'risk' to human health and environment, report shows

Inspections by Clare, Waterford and Offaly councils last year were “well below” their requirements, EPA said.

15.7k

Jun 28th 2023, 12:10 AM

# Water quality

Dozens more inspectors needed to tackle the 'wicked problem' of farm water pollution

The report found there to be just 11 full-time equivalent council staff for farm inspections across the country.

14.8k

Jun 18th 2023, 12:05 AM

# Environment

'Extremely disappointing': Water quality in rivers and lakes fails to make upward strides

Improvements in water quality in some areas last year were matched by a similar rate of decline in others, the EPA has found.

13.8k

Updated

Jun 14th 2023, 2:35 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

Department of Agriculture pressured EPA not to release list of farms pumping from rivers

A report by

Eoghan Dalton

The list, which the EPA has refused to release, also contains information on data centres and quarries.

A Social Democrats TD said they were concerned if the Department of Agriculture was 'stymieing' environmental work.

The claim appeared in a ruling in which a decision by the EPA to withhold its water abstraction register for 1,223 locations across the country was overturned.

All locations are abstraction points where water is removed as part of activities related to farming, quarries, data centres and some semi-State bodies.

35.5k

Jun 3rd 2023, 12:05 AM

# climate action

Govt say EPA report 'doesn't tell the full story' and won't concede targets will be missed

Coalition leaders say some modeling is not contained in the EPA report.

6.4k

Jun 2nd 2023, 2:48 PM

# Emissions

Ireland to fail on climate targets as lack of policy proves to be a stumbling block

The EPA’s Laura Burke said Ireland still needs to “grasp the nettle” of climate change.

EPA: Ireland needs to 'grasp the nettle' of climate change.

8.9k

Jun 2nd 2023, 8:01 AM

# blue flag beaches

Did your local beach get a Blue Flag this year? The 2023 list has been announced

Three beaches in Mayo have been added to the list of beaches who were awarded a Blue Flag for the 2023 bathing season.

21.8k

May 19th 2023, 2:00 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

EPA reveals Ireland's good and bad bathing sites as improvement continues

A report by

Jamie McCarron

79% of 148 bathing sites surveyed have ‘Excellent’ water quality while 97% meet the minimum standard.

18.2k

May 12th 2023, 12:21 AM

# odours

Meat rendering plant allowed to expand capacity despite complaints of 'rotten' smell over city

The plant had applied to increase its capacity for meat from 375 tonnes of meat per day to 600 tonnes.

26.1k

Feb 28th 2023, 12:05 AM

Last year

2022

# Intensive Agriculture

Intensive farming set to ramp up if planned pig and poultry farms approved

If given the go ahead, up to 12 million more chickens and 55,000 more pigs would be industrially reared.

If given the go ahead, up to 12 million more chickens and 55,000 more pigs would be industrially reared

This would produce roughly 26,000 tonnes of excrement annually, Noteworthy reports

Climate scientist: Proposed increase 'especially concerning' given impact on ammonia emissions

22.1k

Dec 13th 2022, 12:05 AM

# recycling

Rising levels of waste making it difficult to increase recycling rates, EPA warns

The EPA’s national waste statistics report for 2020 has been published today.

7.5k

Dec 7th 2022, 6:00 AM

# County Councils

Report: Here are the counties performing the best and worst on local environment issues

The EPA has identified the highest and lowest-performing local authorities on issues like air and water quality and waste.

20.7k

Nov 15th 2022, 6:00 AM

# Dirty water

Ireland continues to pump poorly treated sewage into rivers and lakes nationwide

The EPA says just 51% of sewage was treated to the EU standards.

15.2k

Oct 20th 2022, 7:29 AM

# EPA

Only half of Irish rivers and lakes able to sustain healthy ecosystems for fish and insects

The decrease in water quality is mostly caused by agricultural activities, particularly on the southeast and southern coasts

8.9k

Oct 14th 2022, 6:15 AM

# Uisce

Irish Water too slow at replacing lead pipes – EPA

The EPA said it is ‘unacceptable’ that it would take 24 years to replace Irish Water’s lead pipe connections.

11.0k

Oct 7th 2022, 6:53 AM

# Nuclear Emergency

Ireland's nuclear emergency response plan tested yesterday for the first time in five years

The training exercise was held to ‘test the national response to a nuclear emergency abroad’.

19.8k

Sep 30th 2022, 12:26 PM

# Annual Report

There are 'concerning localised issues' impacting negatively on air people breathe, EPA warns

The EPA has today launched its annual air quality report, Air Quality in Ireland 2021.

9.5k

Sep 20th 2022, 6:15 AM

# EPA

Public urged to make an Enduring Power of Attorney as research shows just 6% have done so

Safeguarding Ireland has urged people to plan ahead to ‘reduce adult abuse’.

34.5k

Sep 12th 2022, 1:40 PM

# Carlow

Carlow company told to engage with EPA following complaints about strong odour

The council launched an investigation following complaints from residents.

40.9k

Sep 10th 2022, 7:30 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

EPA seeks report from Waterford council over use of bleach to 'disinfect' rivers since 1980s

A report by

Eoghan Dalton

It comes following outcry over the use of the chemical near popular beaches in the county.

The local authority's use of sodium hypochlorite dates back to the 1988 - far longer than previously thought.

The Environmental Protection Agency has now sought a report from Waterford City and County Council over its use of chlorine.

22.3k

Aug 30th 2022, 12:05 AM

# EPA

Eamon Ryan says 'we have to do more' as greenhouse gas emissions top pre-pandemic levels

The figures show an increase in emissions of 4.7% in 2021 compared to 2020, when Covid restrictions had led to a significant decrease in emissions.

The Environmental Protection Agency report shows an increase in emissions of 4.7% in 2021 compared to 2020, when Covid-19 restrictions were in place.

There was a 17.6% increase in emissions from the energy industries sector, attributable to a tripling of coal and oil use in electricity generation last year.

Agriculture emissions increased by 3% last year, the third year in a row that emissions have risen in the sector.

24.9k

Updated

Jul 21st 2022, 2:22 PM

# factory farm

The Explainer x Noteworthy: Is Ireland a dumping ground for poultry manure?

Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent and journalist Ella McSweeney tell Susan Daly about concerns over the cross-border poultry manure trade.

3.9k

Jul 9th 2022, 9:30 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

Deaths of at least 80 cows in last decade linked to spreading of poultry manure

A report by

Niall Sargent

Cross-border investigation reveals concerns over regulation of the trade in poultry litter, an increasingly important natural fertiliser used on crops and vegetables.

16 farms inspected in last decade over concerns with poor spreading of poultry litter, Noteworthy reveals

In the most impactful case, 19 dairy cows died across two farms from botulism linked to litter spreading

Difficult for authorities to identify farms of origin of the litter for inspection or further action

14.4k

Jul 8th 2022, 12:05 AM

# factory farm

'Canary in the coal mine': Protected nature areas under pressure from poultry farming

Cross-border investigation reveals serious environmental and air quality concerns from ammonia produced by the rapidly expanding poultry industry on the island of Ireland.

9.6k

Jul 7th 2022, 6:30 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

'Potential fraud' in poultry farm planning applications investigated in the North

A report by

Niall Sargent

Noteworthy cross-border project reveals serious concerns over the authenticity of documents claimed to be from an Irish State body.

Falsified or altered Teagasc letters used in 23 poultry farm planning cases in the North, Noteworthy reveals

Both national and local authorities in the North are currently investigating the issue

Several cases of dumping of poultry litter discovered in Northern Ireland since 2015

16.7k

Jul 6th 2022, 12:05 AM

# factory farm

Suspected false documents and illegal dumping: the murky world of poultry manure

Noteworthy reveals serious concerns over authenticity of files used in some poultry farm planning cases in the North and where the manure is going.

14.1k

Jul 6th 2022, 12:01 AM

# Leaks

ESB Networks fined over greenhouse gas leakages at Moneypoint power station

It was fined €1,000 and must pay €20,390 in legal costs over the emission of sulphur hexafluoride in 2018 and 2019.

8.0k

Jun 30th 2022, 5:30 PM

# EPA

Over half of septic tanks failed inspections in 2021, EPA says

Under a third of septic tanks were also considered a risk to human health and the environment by the EPA.

13.4k

Jun 30th 2022, 8:17 AM

# Investigation

Peat’s Sake: Leading company under EPA spotlight for potential unlicensed extraction

Noteworthy investigation reveals Klasmann-Deilmann Ireland is one of a dozen large-scale peat extractors currently being investigated by the environmental watchdog.

The Irish branch of peat giant Klasmann-Deilmann is being investigated by the EPA in relation to peat extraction in the Midlands, writes Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent

In June 2021, the EPA warned Klasmann it was of the view that the company was committing a serious and ongoing breach of EU environmental law

Almost a dozen other large-scale peat extractors are also under investigation by the environmental watchdog

29.7k

Jun 20th 2022, 12:05 AM

# EPA

170,000 homes across Ireland thought to be at risk from Radon gas, EPA says

The gas is linked to around 350 new cases of lung cancer in Ireland every year.

23.6k

May 26th 2022, 6:00 AM

# Water quality

EPA reveals Ireland's best and worst quality bathing sites

Just two beaches received a ‘poor’ quality rating.

45.0k

May 13th 2022, 6:15 AM

# peat sake

Peat pressure: Industrial peat extraction in enforcement firing line

Historic problems revealed in crackdown on extraction without planning permission and EPA licensing.

Historic problems in enforcement of large-scale peat extraction in Ireland has led to the loss of precious bog, writes Niall Sargent

Noteworthy investigates the case of Harte Peat found to be operating in breach of EU law

12 other peat extractors are now also subject to ongoing EPA enforcement action

24.9k

Apr 7th 2022, 12:05 AM