The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent public body established in July 1993 under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. Its sponsor in Government is the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The EPA is managed by a full time Executive Board consisting of a Director General and four Directors. Independence is assured through the selection procedures for the Director General and Directors and the freedom, as provided in the legislation, to act on its own initiative. The assignment, under the legislation, of direct responsibility for a wide range of functions underpins this independence. Under legislation, it is a specific offence to attempt to influence the Agency, or anyone acting on its behalf, in an improper manner. The Agency is assisted by an Advisory Committee of twelve members, appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Responsibilities The EPA has a wide range of statutory duties and powers under the Environmental Protection Act. In addition, the capacity of the EPA in relation to enforcement has been enhanced by powers contained in the Protection of the Environment Act 2003. The main responsibilities of the EPA include the following: • licensing large/complex industrial and other processes with significant polluting potential; • monitoring environmental quality, including the establishment of databases to which the public have access; • publishing periodic reports on the state of the environment; • promoting environmentally sound practices; • promoting and co-ordinating environmental research; • licensing all significant waste disposal and recovery activities, including landfills, and the preparation of a national hazardous waste management plan; • implementing a system of permitting for the control of VOC emissions resulting from the storage of significant quantities of petrol at terminals; • implementing and enforcing the GMO Regulations for the contained and deliberate release of GMOs into the environment…

Download AIR QUALITY IN IRELAND 2005.Pdf