The burning of solid fuels continues to impact air quality in Killarney, according to research published by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
It shows there was a dramatic fall in levels of harmful nitrogen oxides in the air in many cities, due to a reduction in traffic during the COVID-19 lockdown.
However, this has little impact in Killarney, as the burning of solid fuels accounts for the majority of pollution there, not traffic.
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Burning solid fuels causes PM2.5 particles; this pollutant has the greatest impact on human health, accounting for over 1,100 premature deaths annually in Ireland.
The research states residential solid fuel burning was the dominant source, accounting for 72 per cent of PM2.5 in Killarney.
