Date released: February 22, 2024
22 February 2024: In October and November 2023, more than 300 citizen scientists measured levels of the harmful air pollutant, Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), in Galway city as part of the Clean Air Together Galway City project. A public event was hosted in Galway this evening to present the results of the study to the people in Galway. This large-scale citizen science project was led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with Galway City Council.
Commenting on the project, Andy Fanning, EPA Programme Manager, said:
“Clean Air Together Galway City is a great success story, with over 300 citizen scientists in the city measuring the levels of traffic pollution in their local areas. This campaign has provided an incredibly useful snapshot of nitrogen dioxide levels in Galway and has given us important data about this air pollutant in areas outside of the EPA’s existing air quality monitoring network. We simply couldn’t have completed this project without Galway city’s citizen scientists, and it is wonderful to see the commitment of the people of Galway city to their local environment”.
Nitrogen dioxide levels across Galway city were generally low, with 71 per cent of study results falling in the lowest NO2 category (0-10 µg/m3). 24.5 per cent of results were in the next lowest NO2 category (10-20 μg/m3). Higher levels of NO2 were found near busy roads and in the city centre which can be expected as NO2 comes mainly from traffic.
A linked study by Galway City Council and the EPA, completed in conjunction with the Clean Air Together Galway City campaign, identified one area of the city which had high levels of NO2 (greater than 40 μg/m3). A month-long measurement completed on Dock Road was indicative of a high level of NO2. This finding has now prompted a larger and longer study of traffic related air pollution along Dock Road by Galway City Council in partnership with the EPA. NO2 levels can vary considerably over the year, with changing traffic volumes and weather conditions, and this follow-on study will help to better estimate the longer-term average NO2 levels in the area. Sampling commenced in February 2024 and will run for a year.
Patrick Greene, Director of Service with Galway City Council added,
“The interest in Clean Air Together shows people’s awareness of the importance of good air quality, and a genuine interest in protecting our environment. Air quality affects, and is affected by, many areas of activity in Galway city, and we are committed to positive action in this regard. Key to this are a number of strategies and plans, including our recently adopted Local Authority Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 and the Galway Transport Strategy (GTS). The GTS will have potentially very significant positive impacts as options for active travel and public transport increase.”
The information gathered through Clean Air Together will now be used by the EPA to assist with its air quality modelling and forecasting. The information will be used by Galway City Council to develop a baseline for the city to measure all future air quality, building on valuable work to date.
All results from the Clean Air Together project are available on the Clean Air Together project site.
Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie
Photos from the live event on Thursday 22nd February will be available from the EPA Media Relations Office also.
Notes to Editor
Summary of results
The results show the impact of traffic on Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) air pollution levels: higher NO2 levels are linked with higher traffic volumes. All results are available on the Clean Air Together project site.
On the map, 71% of samples are in the lowest category for NO2, shown as dark blue dots.
Higher NO2 results are represented as yellow dots (4.1% of samples) and one red dot (0.4% of samples). These are mostly present in the city centre and along some of the major roads in Galway City. Moving outwards to the suburbs and away from major roads, the lower levels of NO2 (light blue) are found. Most of the lowest results (dark blue dots) can be found further away on the outer suburbs of Galway City.
The results fall into the following categories:
At 7 out of 10 locations sampled, NO2 levels fall into the lowest category. As expected, this includes locations in the countryside and in less trafficked parts of Galway city. Most other locations are in the next category up (10-20 µg/m3). In total, the (0-20 µg/m3) category accounted for 95.5% of the study’s results (light blue and dark blue dots). 4.5 per cent of the results are above 20 µg/m3. The highest NO2 levels were found by busy roads and in the city centre:
A linked study in November 2023 by Galway City Council and the EPA, as part of the Clean Air Together Galway City campaign, identified one area of the city which had high levels of NO2. Dock Road was found to have a NO2 levels of greater than 40 µg/m3. The month-long measurement is indicative of a high level of NO2 and has prompted a larger scale investigation of traffic related pollution along Dock Road. The additional study is being led by Galway City Council with assistance with the EPA. Sampling commenced in February 2024 and will run for a year, with results to be published in due course.
The Galway city campaign follows similar and successful campaigns in Dublin (2021) and Cork City (2022). A fourth campaign is being planned in Limerick city for later in 2024.
Air Quality Monitoring
The EPA continually monitors air quality across Ireland and provides the Air Quality Index for Health and real-time results online at www.airquality.ie. Results are updated hourly, and people can check at any time whether the current air quality is good, fair, or poor.
Air quality is assessed through the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme. The programme comprises the EPA, working with local authorities and other public bodies, has established 115 air monitoring stations, 3 of which are in Galway City. Monitoring data from these stations is available in real time on the website www.airquality.ie and the data is used to inform national policy and meet Irelands commitments to European reporting.
The results of Clean Air Together (Galway City) are an indication of the level of NO2 measured at particular locations in Galway City in October/November 2023. NO2 levels can vary considerably over the year with changing traffic volumes and weather conditions. Therefore, the results should be viewed as a snapshot, representative of the NO2 levels in October/November 2023 and not an annual average of NO2.
What is Nitrogen Dioxide?
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a gas emitted by traffic and is the main pollutant of concern from traffic pollution. NO2 can have negative impacts on respiratory and cardiovascular health. NO2 irritates the airways of the lungs and can increase symptoms of those suffering from lung diseases.
The results of Clean Air Together Galway City represent a one-month indicative snapshot of NO2 levels in the city and are not directly comparable to the annual average EU limit for NO2 but do indicate locations where additional focus may be needed. It is the EPA’s view that Ireland and Europe should move towards achieving the health-based WHO air quality guidelines over time which are stricter than the current air quality standards for Europe. Comprehensive information on NO2, air quality and the air quality standards for Ireland is available at www.airquality.ie
How was Nitrogen Dioxide measured in the Clean Air Together project?
See demonstration video here: Clean Air Together Galway – Tube Installation and Sharing Your Data - YouTube.
Nitrogen Dioxide is measured using a measurement tube called a diffusion tube, which is a small plastic tube about the size of a lip stick tube. The bottom white cap of the tube is removed to let air pass through during the measurement period. A special substance is contained in the upper grey cap that can absorb NO2. The small tube is placed on the outside of window of the participant’s properties and left in place for approximately a four-week period. Once the measurement period is over, air sampling is stopped by closing off the tube with the white cap and the tube is then returned by post for lab analysis.
Information provided by Galway City Council – Action for a healthier city
Air quality affects, and is affected by, many areas of activity in Galway city, and the Council are committed to positive action in this regard.
Key to this are a number of strategies and plans, including our recently adopted Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LACAP) 2024-2029. The LACAP includes a comprehensive range of measures to mitigate against and adapt to climate change – for example, the pilot Decarbonisation Zone in Westside as part of the European Net Zero Cities project, or the Creative Ireland/ Creative Climate Action Fund ‘Air We Share’ project linking citizen science and creativity in relation to air quality.
Our fleet and our buildings are also being addressed as part of the LACAP - Galway City Council is in top three local authorities for electrifying their fleet with 22% of the fleet already electrified. Galway City Council will become the first Local Authority in the country to eliminate road diesel in its larger fleet, by transitioning to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a renewable fuel source.
At a city level, implementation of the Galway Transport Strategy (GTS) will have potentially very significant positive impacts on air quality. Increasing active travel and public transport are core to the GTS – the multimodal Martin Junction Upgrade, and recently opened Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge are good examples of the GTS on the ground.
Nature-based solutions will also play a key role in addressing environmental problems in our city – for example, the Grattan Beach sand fencing pilot or Buaile Bó Ballyloughane – both biodiversity projects showing the importance of innovation and partnership for positive environmental change.
Where’s next?
Later this year Clean Air Together will be moving to Limerick City – so watch this space if you’re a resident in Limerick City and wish to become a participant!
Clean Air Together
Clean Air Together is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led project, in partnership with the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce and the relevant local authority in the area. Details of the project are available at www.cleanairtogether.ie and on the EPA website.
