Kenneth FoxA new study from the University of Limerick (UL) has found that the ban of smoky coal in Ireland led to a significant reduction in the probability of chronic lung diseases in older people. A new UL study focused on the estimated effects the staggered extension of the ban had on lung health amongst the older Irish population. “For example, a simple comparison between cities like Dublin and Cork where smoky coal was banned in the 1990s and rural areas where smoky coal has only recently been banned would not account for differences in traffic and industrial pollution between these areas. According to the most recent census in 2022, nearly 9 per cent of households used solid fuels as their main source of heating. In contrast, the percentage of households in the UK using solid fuels as their main source of heating is less than 2 per cent.

Source: The Herald August 01, 2023 17:17 UTC