Air pollution: Derry and Strabane council encourages smokeless coal

Fuel suppliers in the north west are being encouraged to prioritise smokeless fuel to help reduce air pollution levels in the area.

Derry City and Strabane Council said it is working with suppliers to ensure smokeless fuel is available to people in the district.

High air pollution levels were recorded in Northern Ireland recently.

Health alerts were previously sent to some residents in counties Tyrone and Londonderry.

Air pollution is measured using an index that records quality levels on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest levels.

On Sunday, health alerts were sent to some residents after Strabane recorded a pollution level of 10, while Newtownstewart was at level eight. Parts of Derry city have also recorded high levels.

Text message warning previously sent from Daera to a resident in the north west

Residents in certain smoke control zones in the district are required to use smokeless fuels or install an "exempted fireplace".

These include areas in Strabane, Castlederg and Newtownstewart.

Previously, people who did not comply with a ban on burning coal in these areas were warned that they may face fines of up to £1,000.

However a council motion, which passed on Wednesday, stressed these fines would be waived for anyone facing fuel poverty.

'Harmful effects'

The council's head of health and community wellbeing, Seamus Donaghy, said environmental health officers would be working with retailers to ensure smokeless fuels are being made widely available.

He offered reassurances that fines are not currently being imposed on domestic properties by the council.

"Enforcement at the moment includes monitoring the sale of non-smokeless fuels and providing advice to solid fuel retailers in and around the smoke control areas," he said.

"We would urge the public to use smokeless fuels, particularly in smoke control areas, and to be mindful of those with serious health conditions who are affected by increases in air pollution.

"The people most at risk to these harmful effects are the young, the elderly and those with existing heart and respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis."

People can keep track of pollution levels in their area on the Air Quality NI website.