Clean Air Together (CAT) is a citizen science project where people voluntarily sign up to measure levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) pollution in their local area. NO₂ is predominantly a traffic-related air pollutant that can cause negative health impacts. NO₂ particularly impacts children, people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions such as asthma, outdoor workers, the elderly, and those communities who may be more exposed to air pollution because of where they live or work. 

The first Clean Air Together campaign took place in October-November 2021 where approximately 1,000 citizens across Dublin successfully measured NO₂ near their home, business, or school. The second Clean Air Together campaign took place in October 2022 in Cork City with over 700 participants measuring NO₂ at their chosen locations while the third campaign took place in October 2023 in Galway city with over 300 participants.

And now – the fourth phase took place in October 2024 with over 400 participants in Limerick’s Metropolitan District Area.

Clean Air Together (Limerick City) is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led project, in partnership with Limerick City & County Council. The project aims to create a better understanding of NO₂ air pollution across our major cities. The air pollution measurements taken by citizens help verify national air quality maps produced using models developed within EPA’s LIFE Emerald project. Ireland's 3-day forecast, hourly updated and annual high resolution air quality maps are all available on www.airquality.ie. The air quality maps and forecasts will be used to inform policies aimed at improving air quality and lowering levels of NO₂. 

Thousands of participants - residents, businesses and community groups - have taken part in Clean Air Together projects to date. This huge level of public interest and the volume of results points to a public willingness to participate in citizen science and illustrates the success of the initiative. The EPA therefore extends a massive THANK YOU to all who participated, supported, and gathered important data on NO₂ pollution in all four cities to date by measuring NO₂ levels outside their property. The work could not have been done without you.

The map above shows the NO₂ measurements gathered by Clean Air Together - Limerick City for October 2024. You can click on a dot to see the level of NO₂ measured at a location of interest.

The pie chart above shows the distribution of Clean Air Together (Limerick City) results.

Nitrogen Dioxide levels across Limerick’s Metropolitan District area were generally low, with 73% of study results falling in the lowest NO₂ category (0-10 µg/m³).

Higher levels of nitrogen dioxide were found along some of the busiest roads in Limerick city, which can be expected as NO₂ comes mainly from traffic: 

• Hassett’s Cross
• Island Road
• Patrick Street
• Upper William Street
• Castle Street
• High Street

The results clearly show the impact of traffic on NO₂ air pollution levels: the more traffic there is, the higher the levels of NO₂.  

Moving outwards to the suburbs and away from major roads, the measurements drop to lower levels of NO₂ (dark and light blue dots).  

The results also suggest that the greater the distance between a dwelling and a busy road the lower the NO₂ levels. NO₂ quickly reduces with distance, for example a long front garden or living on an upper floor of an apartment building can offer some protection against NO₂ pollution. This finding is important as Limerick continues to grow and change. 

KEEP IN MIND

The Clean Air Together results provide an indicative snapshot of the level of NO₂ measured over the month of October 2024.

NO₂ levels vary over the year with changing traffic volumes and weather conditions.

Therefore, the results cannot be compared directly with the EU Air Quality Directive’s NO₂ annual average limit of 40 μg/m³ or the recently updated World Health Organisation’s recommendation that NO₂ levels do not exceed an annual average limit of 10 μg/m³. However, the recommended values in these guidelines can be kept in mind as indicators as to where the results lie.

REMEMBER, THE LOWER THE LEVELS OF NO₂, THE BETTER FOR EVERYONE’S HEALTH.

FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE MANY ONGOING INITIATIVES IN PLACE TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND THERE ARE MANY SIMPLE ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP!

Scroll down to read more examples of what is being done and what you can do!

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is an air pollutant that mainly comes from vehicle traffic. NO₂ levels change throughout the year because of:

1. Traffic: As NO₂ is a traffic-related pollutant, the emissions are higher around busy roads than quiet country roads.
2. Weather: Weather can significantly influence how much NO₂ is in the air we breathe. In windy weather, pollution can move around whereas on very still, warm days pollution can hover and may be higher.
3. Ventilation: The size of your surrounding streets can affect how much air pollution there is in your area. A narrow street with tall buildings can be more polluted than a wide street with lower buildings as there is less space for air to move around.

Being exposed to NO₂, even for short periods, can have harmful effects on our health and wellbeing. Short-term exposure to NO₂ is linked to adverse respiratory effects including airway inflammation in healthy people and increased respiratory symptoms in asthmatics. Long-term exposure is associated with increased risk of respiratory infection in children. National research shows that over 50’s living in Ireland in areas with higher levels of NO₂ are more likely to have asthma.

NO₂ pollution also impacts the environment. It affects the quality of fresh water, soil, and ecosystems, and NO₂ can be absorbed to the atmosphere and later fall as something called ‘acid rain’ that can damage plant life and buildings. NO₂ also behaves like a greenhouse gas.

EPA monitoring and computer modelling shows that in some urban areas NO₂ pollution is increasing. The EPA in collaboration with the Local Authorities manages a national network of air monitoring stations. The EPA has 115 monitoring sites throughout the country, 2 of which are in Limerick city. Real-time air quality data can be found on www.airquality.ie.

While NO₂ is one of the main ambient air pollutants of concern in Ireland, there are other air pollutants of high concern such as Particulate Matter (PM). To learn more about how other air pollutants can impact your health and the environment, and what is being done to lower their levels go to www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/air.

There are many ongoing initiatives in place that aim to reduce levels of NO₂ in Limerick and Ireland - and there are actions you can take to help too!

Limerick City & County Council Climate Action Plan provides a comprehensive range of measures to mitigate against and adapt to climate change. They include commitments to increase the level of air quality monitoring as well as the use of citizen science/living lab projects to not only monitor air quality but also to actively improve air quality across the Limerick. Specific projects will support these actions such as the proposed Decarbonisation Zone concentrated on the Georgian core and proposed Colbert Quarter.

At a national level the the  Climate Action Plan (2021), and the National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland (2021) have been adopted which all comprise of actions that will help reduce levels of NO₂ across the country. These actions include among many:

• Building more and safer cycle lanes and footpaths.
• Investing in clean public transport and exploring the development of low emission zones. There are now multiple hybrid buses running in many towns / cities.
• Planning to apply the 15-minute city development concept more frequently. A 15-minute city is a neighbourhood in which you can access your day-to-day needs within a 15-minute walk of your home (think schools, access to health professionals, groceries, etc.).
• Building more electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations and making it more accessible to purchase an EV as your next vehicle purchase.

What is being done by Limerick City & County Council to reduce NO₂:

The need for clean air is fundamental to the health of citizens in Limerick. The Mayoral Programme: More for Limerick 2024-2029 focuses on interventions to prioritise quality of life in Limerick, with that commitment outlined in a number of strategies and plans.

Limerick City & County Council (LCCC) Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 provides a comprehensive range of measures to mitigate against and adapt to climate change. They include commitments to increase the level of air quality monitoring as well as the use of citizen science/living lab projects to not only monitor air quality but also to actively improve air quality across the Limerick. Specific projects will support these actions such as the proposed Decarbonisation Zone concentrated on the Georgian core and proposed Colbert Quarter.

The Limerick City and Environs Blue and Green Infrastructure Strategy sets out priority actions to develop a network of natural and semi-natural spaces that support a climate resilient society e.g. investigating the feasibility of developing an integrated network of blue and green spaces forming a circuitous route around Limerick City connecting the city and its neighbourhoods – the Blue Green Ring.

The implementation of the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy 2040 (LSMATS) is anticipated to have a very significant positive impact on air quality, a core element being to reduce emissions from transport by 50% by 2030. The Active Travel department’s aim is to provide the infrastructure required to ensure people can begin using more sustainable modes of transport – such as walking and cycling – as part of their journeys. The Active Travel team has already delivered a number of key projects - for example, the Castletroy Urban Greenway; the Childers Road and Father Russell Road Active Travel Schemes. It is expected further important projects currently on site such as the Mill Road Active Travel Scheme in Corbally and the R510 Raheen to Quinn’s Cross Active Travel Scheme will be completed in 2025.

Access to healthy green space is also essential for citizens in Limerick. For example, LCCC is developing Integrated Action Plans (IAP) as part of the GreenPlace and BiodiverCity projects (co-financed by the EU under the URBACT IV Program) in partnership with communities and stakeholders for green spaces in Limerick City that currently lack amenity value. Restoring forgotten urban spaces and making them friendly to residents and the environment by optimising the use of existing resources. These projects promote connection with nature, active lifestyles, community engagement and enhance biodiversity and demonstrate the Council’s commitment to innovation and partnership for positive environmental change.

There are many simple steps you can take. Collectively, these steps can have a big impact on reducing the levels of NO₂ across Limerick.

YOU can:

• Think twice before using your car. One less journey a day or week can make a big difference!
• Try to walk or cycle on shorter trips instead of using your car. This emits zero emissions and is a step towards a healthier lifestyle. Enquire with your company about the Bike to Work Scheme, safe and secure cycle parking and changing facilities at work.
• Use public transport if it is an option for you instead of driving for longer journeys.
• Raise any concerns with your local public representative and get their support for cleaner air and healthier communities.
• Could you consider an electric vehicle for your next purchase?
• Consider buying more local goods. Many items have travelled long distances to get to the supermarkets and each journey your purchased goods have made raises the amount of air pollution for other citizens and animal life on the planet.

Tell others about what you have learned, and the changes you are making to improve the quality of air we breathe. You can do this in many ways including word of mouth, or through social and traditional media.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead (Anthropologist)