DONEGAL County Council has carried out a testing campaign of coal products to ensure compliance with the smoky coal ban.
In recent weeks there have been spikes in air pollution in the Letterkenny area following a drop in temperatures combined with foggy conditions.
A spokesperson for the local authority said the Council’s environment section has been very active since early September in engaging with the retail sector, in particular, to ensure that the only products available to consumers are those which fully comply with the new solid fuel regulations.
“A campaign of product testing has also been carried out to confirm the quality and compliance of coal products available in the marketplace,” said the spokesperson.
“The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications has recently launched an advertising campaign, including short videos, on national television and YouTube, called “Let’s clear the air” and these will shortly be available on all local authority websites. The campaign material has already been issued on the Council’s social media channels.
“The Department’s website advises that the type of fuel used has a big impact on the amount of pollution released to the air, with the most polluting fuels now removed from commercial sale across the country. Of particular relevance to towns with a topography like Letterkenny, they advise – “You can check the air quality in your area before you light the fire; if the air quality is very poor, think twice, particularly on days where the air is still and there is no wind to help disperse the smoke from your chimney”.
“The campaign for clean air is in everyone’s best interest.”
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