Climate Change

Climate change is with us now. The sooner we act, the less damage it will do to our society and environment.

Climate Change and You

What's happening and what impact will climate change have on Ireland?

Waste water

The EPA is the environmental regulator of Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water).

icon with waste water coming out of a pipe
Waste water and You

How best to maintain your septic tank.

Waste

The EPA regulates and licences a variety of activities in the waste sector, including landfill sites.

waste truck
Waste and You

Learn more about waste

Drinking water

The EPA regulates the quality of drinking water in Ireland and enforces standards in public supplies.

Drinking water and You

Where does your drinking water come from?

Radiation

The EPA monitors radiation in our environment. We also regulate radioactive sources in industry, e.g. for x-rays.

Radiation and You

What is Radiation and how can it affect you?

Air

The EPA manages the national air quality monitoring network. We also measure levels of air pollution.

Air and You

See the air quality index for health, this will tell the about air in your area

Additional things you can do

Latest Publications

Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2023 Large Feature Item
Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2023

This report provides an overview of urban wastewater treatment in Ireland during 2023. It highlights the priority issues that Uisce Éireann must address to protect our environment from the harmful effects of wastewater discharges.

decorative image of the cover of Climate Change's Four Irelands Wave 2 Report 2
Climate Change in the Irish Mind, Wave 2, Report 2

This report provides an updated overview of the Irish public’s beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences and behaviours regarding climate change in the second wave of the Climate Change in the Irish Mind study.

Ionising Radiation National Dose Report report cover thumbnail
Radiation Dose Received by the Irish Population 2024

This is a new assessment, completed by EPA and the Health Information and Quality Authority, of the average radiation dose received by the Irish population.

Ambient Air Annual Report 2023
Air Quality in Ireland 2023

This report gives an overview and assessment of Ireland's air quality in 2023.

Two decades is too long to wait to fix Ireland’s deficient wastewater treatment plants, says EPA.

Date released: October 10, 2024

The EPA’s Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2023 report, released today, highlights progress in wastewater treatment, including a 45 per cent reduction in the number of towns and villages discharging raw sewage, since the start of 2023. Nevertheless, wastewater treatment at many areas is not good enough to prevent wastewater discharges from impacting the quality of rivers, estuaries, lakes and coastal waters.

Progress, economic prosperity, and health all threatened unless Ireland increases the scale, pace, and ambition of environmental action

Date released: October 02, 2024

Today the EPA published its flagship 2024 State of the Environment Report. The report illustrates that Ireland continues to play catch-up. Our reliance on landfills has reduced dramatically, but we are generating and exporting too much waste. We have made progress in improving air quality in our cities, but we have increasing evidence that even low levels of air pollution impacts our health. While we have addressed serious pollution in many rivers and lakes, we are not making progress on the more widespread water pollution from too much nutrient.

Dul chun cinn, rathúnas geilleagrach agus sláinte i mbaol mura méadaíonn Éire scála, luas agus uaillmhian na gníomhaíochta comhshaoil

Date released: October 02, 2024

D’fhoilsigh an GCC a Thuarascáil shuaitheanta do 2024 ar Staid an Chomhshaoil inniu. Léirítear sa tuarascáil go bhfuil Éire ag leanúint ar aghaidh ag iarraidh an bhearna a dhúnadh. Laghdaíodh ár spleáchas ar láithreáin líonta talún go mór ach táimid ag giniúint agus ag easpórtáil an iomarca dramhaíola. Rinneamar dul chun cinn maidir le feabhas a chur ar cháilíocht an aeir inár gcathracha, ach tá fianaise mhéadaitheach againn go bhfuil tionchar ag leibhéil ísle truaillithe aeir ar ár sláinte. Cé go bhfuil aghaidh tugtha againn ar thruailliú tromchúiseach i go leor aibhneacha agus lochanna, nílimid ag déanamh dul chun cinn ar an truailliú uisce níos forleithne ón iomarca cothaithigh.

National Air Event 2024

Date: November 06, 2024

The National Air  Event, ‘Open Air CAFE’, will take place in person in the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel  on Wednesday 6th November 2024.  The conference is targeted at Local Authorities, Regulators, Academics, Air consultants and advocates for cleaner air. All presentations will be recorded and will be shared via our EPA YouTube channel shortly after the event.