Another study being held to determine black dust source
The black dust phenomenon that has plagued residents in Fgura and neighbouring areas was "likely" to be caused by emissions from the Marsa power station, an expert report had concluded in 2000.
The report should have laid the mystery to rest but nine years later the planning authority is conducting yet another study to determine the source of this phenomenon amid renewed complaints by residents of black dust depositing itself on their balconies and rooftops.
A spokesman for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said a preliminary analysis conducted last year was not enough to definitively conclude that the power station was the main cause.
"The source of coarse dust in the Fgura area results from the combustion of fuel oil," according to the analysis, which insisted that even though the particles collected from Fgura were very similar to dust from the Marsa power station, no heavy metals were found.
Further tests had to be conducted on fresh samples of fine dust, the spokesman added, to determine whether it contained the presence of nickel and vanadium, two heavy metals that would indicate the power station as the main source. "In August, with the help of the Fgura local council, we identified the areas where to place the dust collectors. However, since the volume of black dust seems to fluctuate periodically, we need more time to collect enough volume to make the eventual analysis feasible," the spokesman said.
The fine dust required for the tests could not be collected directly off roofs and balconies, he added, because it would be contaminated with other dust particles.
The 2000 report commissioned by then Environment Minister Francis Zammit Dimech had found traces of nickel and vanadium in dust collected from Fgura.
The study by British environmental company AEA Technology Environment had analysed dust samples from two locations in Fgura, another two locations in Sliema and one location in Dingli.
"The results demonstrate that deposition in Fgura is markedly different to that in Sliema and Dingli and is likely to be influenced by emissions from the nearby power station," the experts had concluded.
The report highlighted Malta's generally dusty atmosphere but it also found marked differences between the dust deposits collected in Fgura and those in Sliema and Dingli.
"Fgura dust was almost always dark grey and brown in colour and often quite coarse, whereas Sliema and Dingli dusts were a light brown colour and usually quite fine in size," the report said, explaining that the Fgura dust had a "higher abundance of non-natural components".
A proportion of the Fgura dust consisted of molten spherical particles, similar in appearance to fly-ash, commonly emitted from power stations.
The larger particle size of the Fgura dust meant it could not be supported in the air for any great length of time, which suggested that it was emitted from a source that was within three kilometres of the locality.
The British experts had also analysed meteorological data, which showed a prevalent westerly wind that would have blown emissions from the Marsa power station east towards Fgura.
The report did put into the question the scientific validity of the data collected from one of the Fgura sites since on one occasion the person on whose roof the apparatus was installed had added dust obtained from neighbouring rooftops to the sample.
Deposition of dust was found to be lower between December and March, which the experts had attributed to rainfall that washed any dust out of the atmosphere.
The 2000 report by the British experts and Mepa's 2008 initial analysis are both available on www.mepa.org.mt.
21 Comments
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smifsud
Oct 29th 2009, 01:00
has anyone thought of getting a lawyer and sue the Gov for in this matter after so many years of inaction to solve this issue???
a tanti
Oct 28th 2009, 22:16
How is it possible to trust an authority such as MEPA when you see such incompetence! It is a national scandal! We were told by the current prime minister that MEPA will be taken under his responsibilty so as to be under 'par idejn sodi'! Well, I am not that sure that they it SODI, but if he comes to Fgura they will surely be MAHMUGIN due to what falls from the sky!
PS: I am not a PL/MLP fanatic, but simply a Fgura citizen who wishes to breath cleaner air together with my wife and two-year old son, who by the way, already has to take medicine due to an allergy related to poor air quality, which medicine I have to buy with my own money!
Michael Spiteri
Oct 28th 2009, 21:13
In the meantime we 'hamalli' from the depressed south continue to suffer and die of cancer.
ray deguara
Oct 28th 2009, 21:03
Whats all the fuss about,as somebody once said
ray buhagiar
Oct 28th 2009, 18:02
Mur gibhom jaghmlu studju fuq xi meteorita li waqghet mill-ispazju!!
Dan it-trab minn fejn jaqgha? Ghaliex ma jasalx sal-mellieha?
S. Pulis
Oct 28th 2009, 17:00
Victor Pulis
Tehodhiex bi kbira li n-neputijiet tieghek ikollhom jergghu jikinsu l-bjut biex jaghtu kampjun lill-gvern :-)
victor pulis
Oct 28th 2009, 15:23
Hopefully my great grand children will get a satisfactory answer to this mystery.... and I'm not even a grand dad yet!
John Micallef
Oct 28th 2009, 15:19
Hmmmm, i think the word another does not fit in the title.
C Micallef
Oct 28th 2009, 14:58
Study, study, study.... ACTION please!
michael fenech
Oct 28th 2009, 13:35
Please MR. GonziPN please step down and let somebody else do the job.
Vanessa Dimech
Oct 28th 2009, 13:06
Instead of wasting money in surveys why do you install the proper FILTERS at Marsa Power Station!!!!
Most probably the problem would be solved overnight.
But of course Malta has applied for derogations in case of pollution control and our health suffers!
SALVINU XUEREB
Oct 28th 2009, 12:05
well said mr j farrugia.
No big studies are need . From my rooftop I can see clearly the majestic Chimney!!
When wind blows from west to south we always find dust, and the power station is to our west. No big minds needed to make conclusions. When wind blows from the south we never find dust!!
Wow......... will I be paid for this study.......???????
h galea
Oct 28th 2009, 11:41
Could the Black Dust be comming from Gozo Ferries plying from Pieta to Gozo.
Giancarlo Refalo
Oct 28th 2009, 11:37
@ Mr. Farrugia
Heavy metals are not necessarily heavier in weight than other metals. They can be, however, more toxic. quoting from wikipedia:
"...depending on context, heavy metal can include elements lighter than carbon and can exclude some of the heaviest metals. Heavy metals occur naturally in the ecosystem with large variations in concentration."
This means that heavy metals do not necessarily travel less than other dust particles.
Jason Attard
Oct 28th 2009, 11:30
MEPA is a real symbol of Malta. It is managed by the same person and the results are pretty much the same.
Lewis Balzan
Oct 28th 2009, 11:16
This PN government reminds me of the Borg Olivier days of the 60's. They're always conducting studies and hardly anything ever gets done. Shame! Only drastic measures and hefty fines by the EU will move this dead government of ours.
m zammit
Oct 28th 2009, 11:07
After reading this article i am wondering if i live in a third world country or in the 2009 as i still find black dust in my back yard and on the roof
Tony Abela
Oct 28th 2009, 10:45
What a lot of crap!
Since 2000 and apart from the unscientific sensors which are being used in Fgura MEPA opted to disregard or failed to mention the scientific monitoring station that MEPA operates as part of the EU contribution to record the air quality which have been installed at St Gregory's Garden Zejtun, Msida, Gharb Gozo and very recently Kordin, Paola.
The data from the Zejtun and Msida Stations is on line on MEPA website. For some unkown reason the data from Garb and Kordin Stations is not on line.
From the data available on line from the Zejtun and Msida Stations, any University Student following physics and science subject is capable to conclude that the black particles are being originated by the Power Stations.
Come on, Mr Government and MEPA, invest some money to solve this problem without more waste of time.
wally vella-zarb
Oct 28th 2009, 10:37
Yet another 'study'!
Would anyone be surprised if the final chapter of this long saga of 'studies' coincides with the date when the burners at the Marsa power station are finally ready to be decommissioned?
Meanwhile, the affected residents continue to suffer their unhealthy atmosphere and the taxpayer continues to dig ever deeper into his threadbare pockets...
Alistair Farrugia
Oct 28th 2009, 10:09
Quote:
"The source of coarse dust in the Fgura area results from the combustion of fuel oil," according to the analysis, which insisted that even though the particles collected from Fgura were very similar to dust from the Marsa power station, no heavy metals were found.
---
I'm no expert, but wouldn't heavier particles fall off the air quicker than the other dust particles? This would mean that the further away the dust is blown, the less particles make it to the destination. This would maybe explain why traces of heavy metal weren't found in Fgura, whilst being present in the smoke coming from Marsa (where all the different particles would be still together ).
Moreover, one has to account for the heavy traffic flow through Fgura as well - I'm confident this could be contributing to the dust problem too!
J Farrugia
Oct 28th 2009, 10:01
Study study study. And where do we stop? Mepa had better come with practical solutions instead of wasting money in studies without any solutions.