The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has launched a new environmental permitting programme for all the quarries in Malta and Gozo so as to mitigate the inconvenience these operations has on their neighbourhoods and increase the standards of environment compliance within the industry.
Mr Michael Sant, Manager for Permitting and Industry within the Environment Protection Directorate said, “One of the major problems associated with the operations of quarries is the high dust levels these plants generate. While it is evident that we have a larger number of quarries comparing with our geographical size, the problems and inconvenience of dust generated from quarries vary from one place to another.” He continued “it is quite obvious that the problems many arise from those quarries that are in close proximity to residential areas such as in Attard, Mqabba and San Pawl tat-Targa.”
Mr Sant added that, “The new permitting system will group the quarries in Malta and Gozo in twelve different clusters, based upon location and operational similarities. Some quarries such as those in the localities of Attard and Naxxar, due to the nature and composition of the stone material, need to have blasting operations in order for the stone to get extracted, while in Mqabba, the operations such a process is not needed given the softness of the stone. Also the traffic impact of trucks upon residential areas differs between quarries depending upon their location.”
The aim of this permitting system is to address environmental shortcomings and to assist quarry owners in achieving the full legal compliance according to the environmental regulations. The Authority expects that by end of 2011 all operational quarries would have become or are in the process of full compliance.
In the coming days MEPA said that they will be contacting quarry owners to start discussion meetings and explain the legal requirements of this new legislation and the permitting process.
The Authority concluded by saying that it remains committed to ensure that the concept of sustainability does not remain a theoretical concept but a measure that safeguards the environment and improve the people’s quality of life.