Street pollution: Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) calls for direct action

It was recently announced that Malta intends to request exemption from EU rules on air quality and PM10 particulate traffic pollution until mid-2011. The standard approach of our Government seems to have become that of ignoring EU policies and then applying for exemptions.

The fact is that there is now irrefutable and damning scientific proof confirming the adverse health effects of traffic pollution, especially that caused by faulty diesel engines. “This is a cause for concern for all of us and especially for parents of children whose health is being damaged through growing up in a polluted environment,” said Dr George Debono, FAA spokesman on health issue. “The highly polluting black smoke emitted by buses and other vehicles triggers asthma and results in defective lung development in growing children. It is a cause of shortened life span, owing chiefly to cardiovascular disorders and increased cancer rates. A recent study also indicates that exposure of pregnant women to pollution can result in lowered intelligence quotients (IQ) of their children.”

An updated report on the long-term effects of exposure to air pollutants on health prepared by the highly-respected UK Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) further strengthens the case against particulates from vehicle exhaust emissions, “We are left with little doubt that long-term exposure to air pollutants has an effect on mortality and, thus, decreases life expectancy.” In spite of such damning evidence, our Transport Authority, our Environment Authority and our Health Department continue to ignore the scientifically proven fact that the health of people and especially children, continues to be jeopardised by blatant pollution from our buses (including many private company buses) and many other diesel-powered vehicles.

If Malta is lagging behind in complying with EU standards, the least that can be done at this point is to immediately deal with offending vehicles. But our Government is also failing here. Over two months ago (15 June) The Times reported that Minster Austin Gatt “demanded the (SMS Alert) system be put back in place.”

Given the gravity of the situation, FAA maintains that requiring three members of the public to report a polluting vehicle is absurd; re-starting the SMS alert system after such a blunder is now merely cosmetic and ineffective; it has ceased to be a solution because so many have lost faith in it. The pollution from so many vehicles is blatant and clearly visible. Unless Dr Gatt and ADT can explain how continuation of this unnecessarily slow method can be justified, the only effective way of dealing with this environmental scourge is for vehicles emitting visible smoke to be reported directly by our police officers and wardens while roadside testing must be intensified and made immediately effective. Most importantly, vehicles must be summarily tested; owners must not be given a chance to temporarily put things right just to pass VRT testing and then revert to previous malpractice.

A further step that can be taken to reduce urban pollution is to disallow further property construction in over-developed, traffic-congested areas. The cost of doing nothing is far too high, both in human term of human lives as well as Government expenditure on health care.

Requesting exemption from EU rules on air quality and traffic pollution until mid-2011 is irresponsible and dodging the issue. As well as dragging its feet in the matter of drawing up an air quality plan, MRRA is also trying to buy yet more time by non-submission to the EU of air quality notification of compliance with the limit values.

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar reiterates that to continue neglecting to act on the problem is an irresponsible dereliction of the duty of our Government to protect the health of the nation.

www.faa.org.mt ^[1]