Category: Pollution Control

Public Health Legislation The older public health legislation gives local authorities powers to deal with so-called statutory nuisances.  These include nuisances injurious to health, accumulations, smoke and similar emissions. Local authorities are bound to inspect their area for nuisances.  They may serve a notice requiring the nuisance to be abated on the owner and occupier […]

Greenhouse Gases I The Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer has been entered by the EU and ratified in Ireland.  Various EU legislation seeks to reduce the presence of certain harmful substance in the ozone layer, in accordance with the Convention. EU regulations have phased out certain substances, which have been identified as […]

Pollutants It is a criminal offence to permit any pollutant to enter water.  A pollutant includes any poisonous or noxious matter, substances or liquids, which if it entered water, would make it poisonous or injurious to fish, spawning grounds or the food of fish injure fish or their value as animal food or impair its […]

Water Management The EU’s Water Framework Directive restated and updated measures at EU level against water pollution. It seeks to protect water resources and promote their sustainable use and takes a high-level approach. It provides for planning on the basis of river basins so as to ensure integrated management of water resources including water in […]

Various Applicable Laws There is no single law dealing with the control of noise.  There are a number of distinct pieces of legislation which may be relevant in relation to the abatement of noise.  Many of these are monitored and enforced by the local authority. There is a mechanism by which the local authority can […]

Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) is a national agency. It has broad responsibility for promoting high standards of environmental protection, promoting sustainable and economic use, sound development, applying the polluter pays principle and balancing development and environmental needs.  The Agency has a number of broad environmental functions, including licensing and control of […]

Integrated Pollution Contol The  Protection of the Environment Act, 2003 introduced a wider concept of integrated pollution control implementing updating EU Directives.  The IPC licence seeks to control all emissions to air, water, land including noise emissions, in an integrated manner.  It also provides for energy usage, minimising waste and measures for site protection. It […]