Dublin city’s air quality has been ranked among the best in the world according to a new report. 

An air quality report carried out by IQAir, ranked pollution levels in 120 major cities worldwide hour by hour to give a real-time snapshot of the atmosphere. 

According to current world ranking, Dublin is the ninth least polluted city in the world, ahead of Rome, London and other major cities. 

The least polluted city in the world was Salt Lake City in Utah in the USA. 

Paris, Chicago and Auckland were also among the least polluted cities in the world. 

It found the most harmful forms of air pollution significantly dropped in Dublin during the winter months last year, making it one of the cleanest capital cities in the world. 

Air quality across the world

The study measures fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, the deadliest form of air pollution, leading to millions of premature deaths across the planet every year. 

The most polluted cities in world were Hanoi in Vietnam, Chiang Mai in Thailand and Phnom Penh in Cambodia. 

Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at UCC John Sodeau said the report is “definitely good news” for Ireland. 

“Having a relatively good air quality, compared to many other capital cities does make it more approachable and liveable,” he said. 

Beyond Irish weather preventing air pollution, however, there are other factors that gave Dublin its high ranking. 

“It's mainly because it's small, of course,” he said. “About 1.5 million population, compared to 9 million in London and 25 million in Shanghai.” 

The most polluted town in Ireland, according to IQAir, is Cahirgillmore, Co Limerick, exceeding the twice the level of clean air recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

The cleanest air quality is found in Tullamore, Co Offaly, which meets the WHO recommendation. 

Other Irish towns that meet WHO guidelines for air quality include Askeaton, Co Limerick and Monaghan.