Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to poorer mental health in older people, according to new research published today by the Economic and Social Research Institute.
The research funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that one of the most damaging forms of the air pollution is fine particulate matter, which is caused mainly by the burning of solid fuels including coal, peat and wood for heating.
The study looked at the annual average level of the fine particulate matter, described in the research as PM2.5, over a 17-year period beginning in 1998.
It linked this to survey data from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, known as TILDA.
The average annual level of this PM2.5 air pollution experienced by TILDA respondents was 7.7 microgrammes per cubic metre.
"The findings reinforce the need for policy measures to encourage the transition away from solid fuels towards alternative, less harmful forms of home heating"
This was low by international standards - especially when compared to other EU countries such as Poland and Bulgaria, which had annual average levels greater than 25 microgrammes per cubic metre in 2014, the year the study concluded.
However, the recorded in Ireland was and continues to be above the current guideline levels set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of 5 microgrammes per cubic metre of air annually.
Higher levels of this pollution are associated with increased levels of depression and anxiety.
One of the authors of the study, Prof Anne Nolan said that its results add to a body of evidence which suggests that even low levels of exposure can damage health.
Substantial measures to decarbonise home heating and reduce pollution from industry, transport and agriculture will b e needed if Ireland is to achieve the targets set in the Government's recent Clean Air Strategy.
This commits to achieving the WHO guidelines by 2040.
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"When we think about breathing in poorer air quality we often think about our lungs and our respiratory health," Ms Nolan said on RTÉ's News at One.
She warned that the particles are so tiny, they can penetrate deep into the lungs and sometimes pass into the bloodstream, which can have damaging effects on other parts of the body.
"It can affect the brain, it can lead to inflammation, it can lead to chronic stress exposure, and we think these are the pathways through which poorer air quality then leads to poorer mental health."
Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA Office of Evidence and Assessment said: "Our health and wellbeing are intrinsically linked to the quality of our environment. This research provides further evidence of that long-term exposure to air pollution, even at low levels, is damaging to health.
"The findings reinforce the need for policy measures to encourage the transition away from solid fuels towards alternative, less harmful forms of home heating," Ms Cotter added.
Air pollution from fine particulate matter such as PM2.5 can penetrate the lungs, causing chronic lung disease and cancer.
However, the study adds to emerging evidence that these particles may enter the bloodstream, leading to other health conditions.
The study's authors say that average levels of PM2.5 pollution have been relatively stable in Ireland in the decade since 2014 when this study concludes.
Internationally, Ireland compares favourably for air pollution levels and had the eighth lowest ranking of PM2.5 concentrations in 2022 in a report looking at 37 European reporting countries.
According to the EPA, PM2.5 levels have consistently been below EU policy limits but above WHO guidelines.
