IRISH ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

The purpose of these Regulations is to give legal effect to Council Directive 86/94/EEC which permits the continuation, until 31 December 1989, of certain exemptions for non-ionic surfactants which do not comply with the biodegradability limits laid down in Directive 73/404/EEC relating to Detergents, as amended by Directive 82/242/EEC.

This Order declares certain species of flora to be protected throughout the State.

In effect this means that, except under licence from the Minister for Finance, it is an offence for a person to cut, pick, up roof or otherwise take, purchase, sell or be in possession of any plant whether whole or part, of a species mentioned in the Order, or wilfully to alter, damage, destroy or interfere with the habitat of such a species.

Article 2 (3) of the Order has the effect of excluding from the operation of the Order any plants of the named species which are cultivated as vegetables e.g. asparagus.

These Regulations specify air quality standards for sulphur dioxide, suspended particulates, lead and nitrogen dioxide. Similar standards are contained in the following EEC Directives to which these Regulations thus give effect:
— No. 80/779/EEC of 15th July, 1980 (O.J. No. L229/30, 30th August, 1980) on air quality limit values and guide values for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates,
— No. 82/884/EEC of 3rd December, 1982 (O.J. No. L378/15, 31st December, 1982) on a limit value for lead in the air, and
— No. 85/203/EEC of 7th March, 1985 (O.J. No. L87/1, 27th March, 1985) on air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide.

Under section 50 (3) of the Air Pollution Act, 1987 , a local authority must take appropriate steps to secure compliance with an air quality standard where it is being, or is likely to be, exceeded in any part of their functional area.

This Order brings into operation, from 1st October, 1987, those provisions of the Air Pollution Act, 1987 which are set out in Article 3 of the Order. which are set out in Article 3 of the Order Sections 50 Air quality standards and 52 Directions by Minister in relation to air pollution of the Act came into operation on the 1st day of October, 1987

These Regulations provide for increased restrictions on the marketing and use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs). They also require equipment and plant containing PCBs or PCTs to display instructions concerning the disposal of these substances.

This Order brings into operation from 1st September, 1987, those provisions of the Air Pollution Act, 1987  which are set out in Article 3 of the Order

( a ) sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 54, 55, 56 and 59 of the Act and the First Schedule to the Act brought into operation;

( b ) section 9 (1) of the Act for the purpose of repealing the provisions of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, referred to in column 3 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the Act

These Regulations provide for the fluoridation of a further 18 public piped water supplies, in addition to those water supplies already fluoridated in accordance with previous regulations made under the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act, 1960 . The appropriate health board is required to arrange for the fluoridation of the water supply while the local authority, acting as agent for the health board, fluoridates the water supply in each case.

An Act to provide for the control of air pollution and other matters connected with air pollution.

4."Air pollution" in this Act means a condition of the atmosphere in which a pollutant is present in such a quantity as to he liable to?

(i) be injurious to public health, or

(ii) have a deleterious effect on flora or fauna or damage property, or

(iii) impair or interfere with amenities or with the environment.

Interpretation generally (1) In this Act "pollutant" means any substance specified in the First Schedule or any other substance or energy which, when emitted into the atmosphere, either by itself or in combination with any other substance, may cause air pollution;