Black dust complaints: No increase in power station emissions - Enemalta

Matilde Camilleri

Jul 29th 2009, 23:17

I live at Qajjenza (B'Bugia) and we have been having this black dust for months now. In the recent days it has increased. The dust is so fine that it penetrates through the window nets. It's high time that the authorities do something about it.

Karen Mugliett

Jul 29th 2009, 22:38

It is a shame that ENEMALTA treats its customers in this manner. What exactly are they asking us to do: accept the dust and be doomed? monitor and test it ourselves?

I fully concur with the mayor of Tarxien, that the dust that fell down on Friday, Saturday and Sunday was exactly of the same type that we used to see 10 - 12 years ago. Perhaps the filters are once again not working well.

KM

A. Calleja

Jul 29th 2009, 21:28

Enemalta is completely missing the point.... the big question is not IF but WHEN!!!

All the towns and villages surrounding the Grand Harbour have been suffering from poisonous emissions coming out of the Marsa Power Station for the past two decades!! Do we have to suffer these emissions for another 6 years till 2015 EU deadline!?? "EU rules that took effect on January 1, 2008, laid down that the archaic combustion plants (boilers) at the power station could only operate for a further 20,000 hours before having to cease operations permanently" (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090308/local/marsa-power-station-may-be-forced-to-close-before-deadline)

If the Marsa Power Station will continue to be operated further than the 20,000 hours limit, it means that the authorities are not interested in the well-being and health of Maltese citizens in one of the most densely populated areas in Malta!

Galea. L

Jul 29th 2009, 18:53

Guess it must be moon dust from the dark side of the moon.

Andre Muscat
You are perfectly correct. Pity that the fines will be paid by us and not those who are taking the wrong decisions and pocketing the commission. How about someone holding those taking the decisions personally responsible and freezing all their assets to make good for any fines and bad health effects on the population? Fining the people for the wrongdoing of those who take the wrong decisions is wrong and the people who take the decisions should be fined themselves.

jim towers

Jul 29th 2009, 18:16

Do the people of Malta really need independent studies to show where the problems are arising, I think not ,take your blinkers off & stop the abuse as you do not need theEU to police these situations, if you control the abuses then EU will support your reasoning.
Simples!

smifsud

Jul 29th 2009, 17:45

@mr O'Connor .......you are so right sir ....: epidemiological study should be done in malta in the path of these stacks and see the statistics of cancer .....Mr O'Connor you have very good advice and knowlege....thank you .

jim towers

Jul 29th 2009, 17:40

On a similar note, I was lead to believe the chimney at St.Lukes had been decommissioned, however,it is used daily & there is even a warning bell before its lit

Kieron O'connor

Jul 29th 2009, 17:21

Do not fear people of Malta, as mebers of the EU you all have rights. It is your governments duty to protect you.
Firstly Enemalta must have an emissions lisence issued to it by the Maltese Environmental protection agency. Wihin this lisence there will be a limit to the types of gases being emited from the stacks, and a limit on the quantity. They will also be required to carry out frequent monitoring of there emisions, and the EPA will also carry out frequent independent emissions monitoring to protect you the good citizens and tax payers of Malta. If by any chance they do exceed any of these EPA limits they will be subjected to heavy fines, and people responsible will rightly lose there jobs.
So what would I do if I saw "black dust" being emited from the stacks or on the ground. I'd call the EPA immediately and report it. Taking the persons name who I reported it to.
In 2009 there should be NO black dust emitting from the stacksin an EU country, you are all being slowly poisoned.
What are the cancer statistics for the Island.

v.pulis

Jul 29th 2009, 16:29

So now we know what's NOT causing the dust fallout. Is it such a problem to trace the source of the problem?

" If there were any heavy particles, they would drop down close to the chimney, not be carried towards Tarxien."

The particles are definately coming out of a chimney so the dust is being carried on the wind. The authorities' job is to survey the area and find the chimney emmiting this dust. Can the dust be analyzed in a laboratory to determine its source?

Surely we are not imagining things. There is the question of our health here and the authorities are duty bound to get to the bottom of this.

R Axisa

Jul 29th 2009, 16:03

Jekk dan it-trab iswed mhux gej mill-power station, mela l-awtoritajiet ghandhom jinvestigaw u jaraw minn fejn hu gej, b'daqshekk ma solvewx il-problema, semplicement farfru il-problema minn fuq spallithom! U l-poplu baqa' jsaffar u jibla dan it-trab iswed. Dik responsabbilta!!!!!!! Mhux ta' b'xejn li l-poplu mxebba' sa ruh ommu!!!

Andre Muscat

Jul 29th 2009, 15:21

DEAR ENEMALTA AND ALL ITS PARTNERS.

YOU ARE INCREASING AND PURCHUSING A POWER PLANT WHICH WILL GIVE MORE CARBON RESIDUE THEN WE ARE PRODUCING TODAY. DID YOU HEAR TODAYS NEWS!!!!!
EU CARBON TAX IS GOING TO GO UP TO DIZZYING HEIGHTS BY 2010. AND PLEASE DO NOT STOP CRYING ON EACH OTHERS SHOULDERS WHEN THE FINES ARRIVE. FOR NOT HAVING INVESTED IN A CLEANER POWER STATION !!!!!BECAUSE OF POLITICAL LOBBYING.(YOU DONT REALLY CARE) CITIZENS OF MALTA WHO ARE PAYING FOR THEIR FOLLY,YOU ARE AS OF TODAY WITHNESSING BAD DESCION MAKING FROM GONZIPN LET IT NOT BE SAID IN THE FUTURE THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE SITUATION BROUGHT UPON THEM.

a. sciberras

Jul 29th 2009, 15:02

dear enemalta.. i have to learn to keep my camera handy if you are saying that there are/were no black clouds by the chimney. in the last couple of weeks, there were a number of days when on my way to work, i noticed that the smoke was darker than usual...

Anthony Roberts

Jul 29th 2009, 14:19

The front of my house is covered with a film of black dust, now I wonder if the decline in emissions has created this dust or may be it is an illusion of black dust!!!

smifsud

Jul 29th 2009, 14:18

As a Health and Safety inspector in Canada i am here to reccommend to Enemalta to hire an "independent" lab in with consultation with the public representative to test the black dust and see what it is and then also look at the emission standards that are set by the Government and or EU standards and see that they are met or exceed the standards....this needs to happen with public representatives present at the testing and results shall be made in writing for every one to see ...samples should taken from various locations and the wind speed and direction and the height of the Stacks and maintenance records from Enemalta taken in account ....please Enemalta do your "Due Diligence" to protect the community and your workers alike......

Ncortis

Jul 29th 2009, 14:17

In my opinion, the majority of Maltese do believe what Authorities say in these days!!!!!!!!!Every one pulling our legs!!!!!

G. Fenech

Jul 29th 2009, 14:13

@ Colin

Transparency & Enemalta simply do not go together. If a study like what you suggested had to be done. The people conducting this study would be chosen by Enemalta officials, would be completely closed to the public, would take months to happen, and the results would be inconclusive for some unforseen reason.

J.Borg

Jul 29th 2009, 14:01

Surely, can this thing take so long as to establish from where this black dust is coming from. What about the people's health..... one can sweep the roof everyday and collect a large amount of black dust.....then if not from enemalta....from where is this black dust coming....can the minister of environment please enlighten us......

Matthew Borg

Jul 29th 2009, 14:01

Is this normal?

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs124.snc1/5360_229574940606_597325606_7700736_2221623_n.jpg

Kevin Farrugia

Jul 29th 2009, 13:21

I agree that this dust should be analysed and tested, so we can finally confirm what is the origin of this dust.

Incidentally, when there is Northenrly wind, and the dust is more acute...with the wind blowing from Marsa towards the hit villages!

Enemalta, you are not credible in your statements. Maybe we should sue you for the health hazards that you are causing us citizens.

Angie Borg

Jul 29th 2009, 13:14

So can anyone please be so kind as to explain what's this black dust that is constantly appearing in my yards and terraces? I live in Zabbar and can't take this anymore. I've been suffering with asthma all year round now and the only answer we seem to get is Enemalta claiming that they 'are well within the stipulated emissions limits'.

E.A.Mallia

Jul 29th 2009, 12:56

Enemalta never learns. Every time something happens, it tells tales of past virtue, admitting it had kept its light under a bushel. In this case: can we be told if the electrostatic precipitators are still working? What fraction of dust emissions do they filter out? Can we have a sample of power station dust to compare with the gritty stuff coming down on the towns surrounding Marsa power station? The last time this was done, in year 2000, Marsa was reliably identified as the source. Above all, may we be given a look at the records of this "continuous" monitoring of dust emissions? After all how come Enemalta is putting in so much effort into monitoring mere "dust", described by its political master as stuff it has been putting into the air for years?

Joseph Micallef

Jul 29th 2009, 12:48

I have been living in Fgura for the past seven years and never have I seen so much black dust settle on the roof on my house day after day for the past weeks. The explanation given by Enemalta seems very unprofessional as it is not backed up by any particle emission data from their chimneys. I do not believe their is another potential source of particles that can cover such a large area as Zabbar, Fgura, Paola, St. Lucia and Tarxien with black dust in the whole of Malta.
Surely there must be some government entity who is responsible for tackling such emissions.

Ronald Camilleri

Jul 29th 2009, 12:44

And Enemalta is planning a new power station plant at delimara using heavy fuel oil!! To add insult to injury the minister already prepared people in the surrounding areas that they will be having "naqra trab iswed" raining down on their roofs, cars and heads!! L-aqwa li xi hadd se jdahhal 4 miljuni fil-but minn flusna!! Le, kollox normali hemm fil-kuntratt....m'hemm xejn hazin!! Pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse!!

P.Pulis

Jul 29th 2009, 12:42

The black dust I find on my roof (at Tarxien), is fine and black. So I am right to assume it is emanating from the power station. Very soon I will have a problem because I will be applying roof compound to all the roof area. Although I sweep this dust regularly, it accumulates again very quikly.
I am collecting samples of this dust in case it jeopardizes the quality of the roof compound.

P. Cortis

Jul 29th 2009, 12:32

Typically 'Only in Malta'. No one responsible for anything. Yet, alot of people are suffering. And who is the genius from Enemalta who said 'just by looking at the chimneys, there are no clouds of black smoke being emitted by us'. Can you guarantee with your job that nothing else is emmited during the night !

James Grech

Jul 29th 2009, 12:31

Wow a really serious explanation. Mela hasbu li n nies subaghajhom f halqom? So if its not from the power station then its from somewhere else right? So Gov. and health department should investigate these allegations to verify the cause. What a laugh!!

P. Cortis

Jul 29th 2009, 12:30

Typically 'Only in Malta'. No one responsible for anything. Yet, alot of people are suffering. And who is the genius from Enemalta who said 'just by looking at the chimneys, there are no clouds of black smoke being emitted by us'. Can you guarantee with your job that nothing else is emmited during the night !

D Schembri

Jul 29th 2009, 12:11

@ Colin
I agree with completely.
Second opinion required!!

DVella

Jul 29th 2009, 12:10

Thank you so much for the explanation Enemalta, I am sure it brings deep solace and peace of mind to all the thousands of long-suffering residents in Paola, Marsa, Fgura, Tarxien, Senglea, Cospicua and others . . . .

I am sure they will all rest assured that it is all right to have one's roof, one's terraces, one's car and one's clean washing consistently coated with a layer of fine black dust for years on end . . . . as long as the emissions limits are not exceeded (!)

Colin Camilleri

Jul 29th 2009, 11:51

of course enemalta, give me one reason why shall I believe you! why doesn't Enemalta and/or the Local coucils test the black particles and compare them with those that come from the power station in Marsa? This should be a straight forward test and shouldn't cost much. Then and only then I will be inclined to believe enemalta, as long as these are done transparently and enemalta is cleared from all responsibility.