Health - Thurles Information

Undeclared Egg In Batch Of Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Calabrian Salami.

Allergen: Egg

Product Identification: Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Calabrian Salami & Sausage Pizza; pack size: 510g.

Batch Code: L.A. 23236; with best before date: 05/24.

Consumers Take Note:
The above batch of Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Calabrian Salami & Sausage Pizza was mispacked with Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Piccante Pizza.

This product contains egg which is not declared in the list of ingredients.
This may make the batch unsafe for customers who are allergic to or intolerant of eggs.

Cases Of Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea Increase In Irish Mid-West Region.

Public health doctors in the Mid-West Region have expressed serious concern with what they confirm are unprecedented levels of the sexually transmitted infections chlamydia and gonorrhoea in the community so far in 2023.

The Mid-West region consists of counties Tipperary North, Clare and Limerick; spanning 10,511 km², or 14.95% of the total area of the Irish State, serving a population of some 506,000 inhabitants.

HSE Public Health personnel in the Mid-West are already reporting record levels of gonorrhoea so far this year and claim that record levels of chlamydia are also likely to spike by the end of the year.

Troubling signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in men include:

Painful urination
Pus-like discharge from the tip of the penis
Pain or swelling in one testicle

Troubling signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in women include:

Increased vaginal discharge
Painful urination
Vaginal bleeding between periods, such as after vaginal intercourse
Abdominal or pelvic pain

Troubling signs and symptoms of chlamydia infection in men again include:

A discharge from their penis
A burning sensation when peeing
Less common is pain and swelling in one or both testicles

Troubling signs and symptoms of chlamydia infection in women again include:

An abnormal vaginal discharge
A burning sensation when peeing
Note: Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but it can cause serious health problems, even without symptoms. If symptoms occur, they may not appear until several weeks after having sex with a partner who has chlamydia. Sexually active people can get chlamydia through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with a partner who has chlamydia and can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system. This can make it difficult or impossible to get pregnant later. Chlamydia can also cause a potentially fatal pregnancy that occurs outside the womb.

In 2022, some 798 cases of chlamydia were recorded; an increase of 20% on 2019 figures, while 188 cases of gonorrhoea were recorded, latter an increase of 41% on 2019 figures, and same the highest statistics recorded for both of these infections, over the previous ten years.

To present date in 2023, some 664 cases of chlamydia and 274 cases of gonorrhoea have been diagnosed.

Free contraception is available to all persons aged 17 to 30 years, and SH24 home testing is also free for everyone within the state. If further advice is needed individuals can contact their GP, or go online at www.sexualwellbeing.ie.

Move Towards Health-Based WHO Air Quality Will Have Positive Impact On Health.

Ireland’s ambition to move towards the health-based World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines will be challenging, but will have a significantly positive impact on health.

Air quality in Ireland is generally good, however, there are concerning localised issues.
Ireland met all of its EU legal requirements in 2022, but it did not meet the more stringent health-based World Health Organisation (WHO) Air Quality guidelines.
It is estimated that there are approximately 1,300 premature deaths annually in Ireland due to poor air quality from fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
The choices we make in how we heat our homes and how we travel directly impact the quality of the air we breathe.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its annual air quality report ‘Air Quality in Ireland 2022’. The report shows that, while air quality in Ireland is generally good and compares favourably with many of our European neighbours, there are concerning localised issues which lead to poor air quality.

Ireland met EU legal air quality limits in 2022, however it did not meet the more stringent health-based World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines for a number of pollutants including: particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (N02), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3), due mainly to the burning of solid fuel in our towns and villages and traffic in our cities.

Poor air quality has a proven negative impact on people’s health. There are an estimated 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland per year due to particulate matter in our air.

In 2022 air monitoring results from EPA stations across Ireland show that fine particulate matter (PM2.5), mainly from burning solid fuel in our homes, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) mainly from road traffic, remain the main threats to good air quality. High levels of these pollutants are often associated with cold, still weather from late autumn through to early spring, when generally short-term incidents of poor air quality occur.

Launching the report, Dr Micheál Lehane, Director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection & Environmental Monitoring, said: “The EPA’s air quality monitoring has shown that Ireland met all of its EU legal requirements in 2022. However, we did not meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for health. This highlights the immediate challenge to move towards the WHO air quality guidelines in the Clean Air Strategy. While undoubtably challenging, the significantly positive impacts of clean air on health are clear and the report identifies some of the actions that are necessary to achieve the health-based air quality guidelines.”

The report identifies that using less solid fuel and cleaner fuels to heat our homes, and reducing our use of cars to go to school, work and play; are actions that will contribute towards achieving the WHO guidelines.

The report further identifies the critical role for local authorities in enforcement, implementation of existing plans and investment in infrastructure to encourage cleaner and healthier air quality choices:

Local authorities must provide more resources to increase air enforcement activities and implement the new solid fuel regulations.

Dublin local authorities must fully implement the Dublin Region Air Quality Plan 2021, to improve Nitrogen Dioxide levels in Dublin Region.

Investment in clean public transport infrastructure across the country must be maintained and increased.

More safe footpaths and cycle lanes must be created to continue to increase active travel as a viable and safe alternative to car use and associated nitrogen dioxide emissions.

Mr Pat Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said: “The localized issues that we see in the 2022 monitoring results impact negatively on air quality and health. Monitoring stations across Ireland recorded high levels of particulate matter associated with burning solid fuels in our towns and villages and high levels of nitrogen dioxide in our larger cities associated with road traffic. We can have immediate impacts on our local air quality by making changes in how we heat our homes and finding alternative ways to travel. These actions which also have positive climate impacts”.

To find out more about how we can improve air quality, read the EPA’s How we can improve the air we breathe infographic or check out the ‘ABC for Cleaner Air’ campaign@ The ABC for Cleaner Air , from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, which highlights some simple steps we can all make and help reduce pollution from solid fuels.

The Air Quality in Ireland 2022 report is available on the EPA website.

The EPA continually monitors air quality across Ireland and provides the air quality index for health and real-time results online HERE.
Results are updated hourly on the website, and people can log on at any time to check whether the current air quality is good, fair or poor.

Urgent Action To Improve Ireland’s Household & Commercial Waste Segregation Performance.

EPA Calls For Urgent Action To Improve Ireland’s Household & Commercial Waste Segregation & Recycling Performance.

Over two thirds of wastes in general waste bins could have been placed in the recycling or organic waste bins.
Food waste in commercial general waste bins is 30 per cent and in household general bins is 17%.
Plastics in the general waste bins are also significant for households (17%) and businesses (15%).
The rollout of organic waste bins to all houses, apartments, and commercial sectors needs to accelerate without delay.

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the latest National Municipal Waste Characterisation Project. The project results show very little change in Ireland’s household and commercial waste management practices since 2018. Irish businesses and householders are still putting the majority of their waste into the wrong bin. Over two thirds of waste in the general waste bins could have been placed in recycling and organic waste bin.

Food waste is the most common waste in commercial general waste bins (30%) and household general waste bins (17%). Thousands of households and businesses still do not have an organic waste bin and correct food waste segregation cannot be achieved until this is addressed.

Recyclable materials such as plastics, paper, cardboard and metal account for around 24% of the household general waste bin and 37% of the commercial general waste bin.

Urgent action is needed to improve Ireland’s segregation and recycling performance to achieve municipal recycling rate targets and transition to a circular economy. The waste industry needs to do more by providing organic waste bins to all households and commercial premises and support awareness campaigns to make segregation easier.

Commenting on the results, Mr Micheál Lehane, (Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability), said “The results of the latest municipal waste characterisation are disappointing. Currently businesses and householders are putting recyclables, food waste and packaging waste into our general bins. This is a lost opportunity. Organic waste bins need to be rolled out urgently to businesses and households currently without this service. Implementation of the new commercial waste regulations is needed without delay.”

Access to recycling infrastructure, such as civic amenity sites and bring banks, needs to be made easier for householders to support segregation of special, bulky and hazardous wastes.

The rollout of organic waste bins to houses, apartments, and commercial sectors needs be enforced to ensure waste collectors are providing the same level of service to customers.

Mr Warren Phelan, (Programme Manager of the EPA’s Circular Economy Programme) noted: “Our recycling targets and transition to a circular economy are currently off track. There are significant opportunities to divert recyclable materials from the general waste bin, but householders and the commercial sector need more support from the waste industry to make it easier to segregate their waste correctly. Targeted awareness campaigns on segregation and focused enforcement activities are also needed.”

Further information on what is in our household and commercial bins is available on the EPA Website HERE.

Undeclared Peanut & Sesame Seeds In Batch Of Bombaymix Sweet & Spicy Ethnic Snacks.

Food Allergen Alert, Monday, September 18th, 2023.

Allergen(s): Peanuts, Sesame Seeds
Product Identification: Bombaymix Sweet and Spicy Ethnic Snacks; pack size: 200g.
Batch Code Batch: E/1-25-09; Best before date: 20/03/24.
Country Of Origin: Bangladesh.

The Food Safety Authority, of Ireland [FSAI] have declared the above batch of Bombaymix Sweet and Spicy Ethnic Snacks, (identified by image shown above), contains peanut and sesame seeds, latter which are not declared in the list of ingredients on the packet.
This, for some consumers, may make the batch unsafe for those allergic to or intolerant of peanuts and/or sesame seeds.