Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Malta to miss air pollutant targets
Malta will miss half its legally binding emissions' targets this year, pumping almost 50 per cent more sulphur dioxide than permissible into the atmosphere, according to European Environmental Agency projections.
Of the four targets established by the EU's National Emissions Ceilings Directive, Malta is expected to overshoot its emissions in two categories of dangerous air pollutants - nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide.
The agency's projections are based on preliminary reporting of 2009 and 2010.
In the case of sulphur dioxide, Malta will be the only member state not to reach its 2010 target. In both cases Malta will be among the worst performers, surpassing its targets by more than 10 per cent of the limit set for Malta.
On the other hand, Malta is expected to be in line with its targets in the other two categories: non-methane volatile organic compounds and ammonia.
"Malta has made a lot of progress since joining the EU when it comes to controlling its emissions and managed to reduce its emissions across the board over the years," an agency official told The Times.
"However, more still has to be done as according to our projections Malta will still be failing to abide by its obligations under the directive by the end of this year. The situation with regard to sulphur dioxide is quite serious as Malta will be exceeding its limits substantially," the official said.
The release of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere is normally associated with the burning of fuel in combustion plants used to produce energy, while nitrogen oxides are more related to road transport pollution particularly from car fuel.
In Malta's case, Enemalta's power stations in Marsa and Delimara are considered to be the two major contributors to emissions of dangerous pollutants. All four specified pollutants harm human health and the environment by contributing to the formation of ozone and particulate matter and leading to acidification and eutrophication (an increase of chemical nutrients in the ecosystem).
EU member states must meet the directive's ceilings by 2010 to deliver the health and environmental benefits agreed upon.
Malta will not be the only member state failing to meet its targets - according to the agency's study almost half the EU is lagging behind. Eleven countries are set to exceed their ceilings by significant amounts, some missing nitrogen dioxide targets by more than 40 per cent.
Member states have the greatest difficulty meeting the emission limits for nitrogen oxides. Only 16 expect to achieve their ceilings, with road transport bearing most of the blame.
The road transport sector contributed to around 40 per cent of total EU27 emissions of nitrogen oxide in 2008 and, although its overall emissions have fallen since 1990, the reduction has not always been as substantial as originally anticipated.
This is because the sector has grown more than expected and the fact that vehicle emission standards have not always delivered the foreseen level of nitrogen oxide reductions.
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R German
May 26th 2010, 11:33
VRT car test are not done properly,just one look at our roads and you will see all type of junk running around puffing black or white smoke from behind. Cars are the number one polluter in Malta because we have lots of cars which are not road worthy
Joe Grech
May 25th 2010, 18:04
Hopefully the Hon. Prime Minister will do something effective to correct this dangerous situation!
Edward Mallia
May 25th 2010, 15:07
Last year we were told that Enemalta was using 0.7% sulphur HFO in order to conform to EU limits. It now seems that that is not enough. Until Delimara extension comes on line we may have to go to 0.2% sulphur HFO, at increased cost of course. Can one not recollect the case of S. Gaetano vs Enemalta, when there was a fall of stones from one of the towers of Hamrun church? The cause was found to be corrosion of the stone by SO2 attack. Also Marsa school being invaded by choking cloud of SO2.
@Mark Anthony Sammut: of the emissions from Marsa and present Delimara, NOTHING except Marsa fly ash is being stopped, when the precipitators have not be precipitately switched off of course!
@tony abela: The black dust problem has been solved! The precipitators were switched off for a total of seven months; now they have been switched on again. Ergo no more 'heavy' black dust.
The power stations contribute something like 1/2 the national NOx, as can be seen from the lastest two greenhousegas inventories. In fact even with the use of diesel, Delimara extension will have to have NOx removers.
Mark Anthony Sammut
May 25th 2010, 18:59
That's what I said in fact, that currently nothing is being stopped while, as far as I know, this will not be the case of the new extension, which will also be run on HFO with less sulphur content than the current.
Joe Morana
May 25th 2010, 14:34
The Authorities i.e. MEPA, Transport Malta(formerly ADT) , Sliema Local Council and the Central Government, are well aware that Sliema residents are suffering from air pollution (NO2) which exceeds EU safeguard levels to the detriment of residents' health and quality of life .
Yet apparently these 'authorities' cannot or are obstinately reluctant to get their act together to address the Sliema precarious traffic problems which are intertwined with Sliema's unsustainable overdevelopment.
The proposed, much needed and long overdue Sliema ' holistic traffic management is another example of how the authorities seem to have abdicated their repsonsibilities and left Sliema residents to their sad fate.
Given the Sliema precarious environmental situation, one wonders why MEPA or the Department of Health have not yet issued a health warning " Living in Sliema can be damaging to your health"
l fenech
May 25th 2010, 13:14
U dan ghadu ma bediex jahdem il-power station tad-Delimara.
tony abela
May 25th 2010, 12:20
The EU have clearly stated that one of the pollutants, i.e. sulphur dioxide, is coming from the Power Stations. It appears that Enemalta, MEPA and the Government are the only bodies which does not know this fact as they tried to convince people that the Power Stations are working within specifications. No wonder we have the black dust problem unsolved.
Chris Finch
May 25th 2010, 12:15
If these targets are legally binding, then the EU should prosecute the minister(s) involved. That is the only way to get them to do something about it. But no, what will happen is a big fine or the withholding of more funds will come Malta's way resulting in even more taxes for the average man on the street to find from his own pocket.
Mark Anthony Sammut
May 25th 2010, 12:03
Dak hu l-punt tal-estenzjoni l-gdida Sur Gellel, bhalissa ghandna 2 power stations jahdmu kollha bl-HFO u l-emissions taghhom mhux jingabru kollha. L-estenzjoni ha tahdem b'HFO b'inqas sulphur content u li l-emissions taghha ha jimlew 15-il kontejner fil-gimgha. Bhalissa, dawk il-15-il kontejner flok jingabru qed tiblaghhom int. Ma tridx l-estensjoni? Mela kompli ibla pulmun!
mario gellel
May 25th 2010, 14:20
Il-punt hu li mhux kontra l-estenzjoni ahna, imma ghax ha jintuza fuel aghar milli qed jintuza bhalissa.X'garanzija taghna il-gvern? qal li jekk ma tirnexxiex innehuha. Dik garanzija???
N.Lawrence
May 25th 2010, 10:52
Malta to miss air pollutant targets--
This isn't news, it is a predictability. Especially as the GonziPN administration has absolutly NO intention of doing anything about any form of pollution control in Malta
lgalea
May 25th 2010, 10:50
Roll on the Delimara extension using HFO. We're sure to better meet the projected targets.
mario gellel
May 25th 2010, 10:34
"Malta to miss air pollutant targets"
MELA BIL HEAVY FUEL OIL, LIEMA TARGET HA NOLQTU?? BHALA L-AKTAR PAJJIZ MNIGGES FL-EWROPA???