Major Edenderry air quality study to continue for another year

Offaly County Council said 20 air quality sensors are being deployed around Edenderry this week as part of a major study which began last year and is set to continue for another twelve months.

The local authority said people "may notice activity around the town this week" while the sensors are being put in place.

"Information posters are also being erected and leaflets will be made available," stated the local authority. "This is being run by Offaly County Council with the objective of gaining insights into the air quality at a local level across Edenderry."

It was announced last autumn that Edenderry had been selected by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to take part in a pilot study on clean air.

The joint initiative, involving the council and the HSE, in addition to the Department, was taken after air pollution in the town of Edenderry over recent years had been flagged as a matter of concern by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Air monitoring sensors were first put in place in the town last November, and were to remain in use until April in order to gather data.

The council said the 20 sensors being installed in various locations around the town this week will "capture air quality data for air and wind monitoring towards the end of October 2025" and will then "remain in place until September 2026 to gather data across 12 months".

Information posters shared by the council as part of the initiative encourage people to, "Ask yourself, 'Do I need to light a fire?'" and to clean and maintain their chimneys and heating appliances at least once a year.

More information about this project is available from the Climate Action, Environment and Rural Water Section of Offaly County Council on 057 935 7403 or by emailing: environment@offalycoco.ie