Widespread Breaches of Solid Fuel Regulations: Green Party calls for tighter accountability in supply chain

The findings, released in an air quality report commissioned by Dundrum Green Party Councillor Robert Jones, show that a Dublin-wide sampling and testing initiative indicates that most coal sold by retailers does not meet legal sulphur limits, posing a major threat to air quality and public health.

The report by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLR), on behalf of Dublin’s four local authorities, has revealed widespread non-compliance with regulations on the sulphur content of solid fuels sold in the capital.

Under national regulations introduced by the Green Party when it was in government in 2022, strict sulphur limits were put in place to reduce harmful emissions from solid fuels, a major contributor to poor air quality and respiratory illness. However, DLR’s Environmental Enforcement Section conducted a Dublin-wide campaign to sample solid fuels and found that most of the coal samples tested were in breach of these regulations. The findings raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of the regulations and the integrity of the solid fuel supply chain.

“These findings are extremely concerning and demonstrate that highly polluting fuels are still being sold and burned, despite strict regulations in place,” said Cllr Jones. “Non-compliant fuels contribute significantly to air pollution, which has well-documented health impacts, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions. Stronger enforcement and accountability within the supply chain is urgently needed.”

In the report to Cllr Jones, DLR’s Chief Executive Scientist said the results of the Dublin-wide analysis have been shared with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Environment. The scale of non-compliance also raises serious concerns about potential fraud in the supply chain, where packaging indicates compliance when the actual product does not meet regulatory standards.

“If investigations show that the packaging meets legal requirements, but the fuel inside does not, this suggests a widespread fraud problem,” added Councilor Jones. “We need immediate action by state authorities to address this problem, including increased inspections, stronger penalties, and clearer labeling requirements.”

Councilor Jones calls for urgent action to strengthen enforcement, increase accountability throughout the supply chain, and ensure the public is protected from the harmful effects of non-compliant coal. He also urges the EPA and the Department of the Environment to provide a formal response on how they intend to address these serious violations.