UPDATED: Environment indicators show improvement, and concerns

(Adds detail, including 19% jump in ozone levels)

A number of sectors of the Maltese environment are witnessing improvement, but nitrate levels in groundwater and the level of particulate matter in the air remain a concern, according to the 2007 State of the Environment Indicators, published this morning by MEPA. Ozone also increased by 19 percent between 2005 and 2006.

The report says there has been a significant reduction in sulphur dioxide found in the air, while nitrogen oxides and benzene levels have remained well within EU standards.

95% of Malta’s bathing waters complied with EU standards.

The indicators show a 25% increase in material collected for recycling.

In 2007, four more Special Areas of Conservation, including one marine area, were designated for nature protection.

During 2007 there was also been a considerable rise in public environmental expenditure, together with an increase in afforestation projects .

According to the indicators, environmental issues that need attention include the nitrate levels found in groundwater (high levels were found in nine of 13 WSC boreholes) low levels of organic farming (just 0.17% of agricultural land), the high levels of particulate matter and ozone concentrations found in the air, increasing rates of vehicles per capita and the increase in municipal waste generation.

The presence of Ozone rose from 85.9 up/m³ to 102.2ug/m³ while, at Msida, the air quality monitoring station found that the concentration of particulate matter exceeded EU levels on 30 percent of days when measurements were made.

It was also found that between 1990 and 2006 greenhouse gas emissions rose by 45 percent.

“With a registered economic growth over the past year and the parallel increase in our GDP and fuel imports, Malta needs to keep exploring viable ways to decouple energy production from economic activity,” a booklet containing the indicators says.

The 2007 State of the Environment Indicators were compiled by MEPA in partnership with the National Statistics Office (NSO) as well as other government and non-governmental organisations. The indicators are accessible on the MEPA website www.mepa.org.mt or on CD. Hard copies are also for sale at the Authority’s office at Floriana.

The Authority will next year be publishing a State of the Environment Report, which is a comprehensive assessment that provides a robust information basis for the country to be able to develop in an environmentally sustainable manner.