Dublin Port Tunnel : Environmental Impact and Responsibilities
 

Dublin Port Tunnel

Environmental Impact and Responsibilities

One of the key challenges for the Dublin Port Tunnel project was to successfully control air pollutant emissions to avoid adverse impacts on local residents, while supporting construction milestones and ensuring that environmental commitments contained in the Project’s Environmental Impact Statement were fulfilled. The elements currently measured are PM10 , Nitrogen Dioxide and Benzene, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) Toluene, Xylenes and Butadiene.

In general, air quality measurements have shown that emissions in the vicinity of both the North and Southern
Portals comply with all EU and National limit values apart
from dust levels.

Dust has been a particular problem at the Southern Portals and to a lesser degree at the Northern Portals, due to construction activities. It is anticipated that once construction activity ceases, PM10 levels will reduce to what would be expected to arise from a main thoroughfare.

With pollution control measures, established policies and specifications, support from project officials, open dialog with the affected communities, the potential air quality impacts from this project are being managed successfully. These Annual Reports present the results of air quality monitoring at the Northern and Southern Portals of the Port Tunnel for the period 2002 onwards and for Ellen Field Park and Eastwall Road for 1998 and 1999-2000 respectively.

Dublin City Council carries out monitoring in Dublin City on a permanent basis and has established an additional monitoring site in close proximity to the Port Tunnel site. In addition to the undertakings given in the Environmental Impact Statement the public inquiry in relation to this project specified the following:

  • Continuous monitoring of particulates (PM10) at the nearest residential receptor to the Northern Portals
  • Continuous measurement of total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vicinity of the Northern Portals
  • Monitoring to be carried out prior to and during construction, and also for a period of five years following completion of the Dublin Port Tunnel.

The air quality measurements in the reports are compared with EU and Irish legislative standards. Over the years these limits have become more stringent. This is the reason for the varying standards quoted in the reports. Where there are not limit standards available for various pollutants, reference is made
to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

For further information on Air Quality see the EPA air
quality report.