Air pollution contributors

Although not present for the press briefing, Albert Bezzina in the Talking Point titled Air Quality: An Alternative Agenda (August 3) erroneously asserts that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has underplayed the role of the power stations in the contribution to poor air quality. What was in fact said during the press briefing is totally different. In fact, during the last monthly briefing session we held with the media, I stated that the two major contributors to air pollution in Malta are the power plants and road transport (which includes both private cars and commercial vehicles), however, road transport has a greater effect on our local air quality than the power plants. In fact, specialised modelling techniques will prove my point.

I would also like to point out that the Air Quality Plan for the Maltese islands targets both commercial vehicles and private cars. In fact, one of the proposed measures in this plan is the introduction of “low emission zones” in specified areas. This means that cars of certain emission category, for example Euro III and better, will only be allowed to pass through the zone while the passage of any other vehicle through the zone will be stopped, irrespective of whether the vehicle is commercial or private. In the plan, there is no discrimination made in any of the measures related to the traffic emissions between commercial and private vehicles. I would like to remind readers that out of the 38 measures included in the Air Quality Plan, 36 are aimed at curbing emissions from the transport sector.

I would also like to confirm the figures quoted during its media briefing, that the annual average nitrogen oxide concentration registered by Mepa’s traffic site in Msida in 2008 was 60.9 ug/m3 which is 52 per cent higher than the annual limit value of 40 ug/m3. It is also worth mentioning that the ambient levels of benzene registered by the same air monitoring station will become critical if the problem of excessive traffic passing through the area is not appropriately addressed. A quick glance at any textbook will confirm that benzene is principally emitted by petrol engines and in this case no argument could possibly exonerate private cars. It is not without concern that I note that certain people are more than ready to point fingers at other sources rather than take responsibility for the effect of their actions on the environment.

Mepa remains committed to the full implementation of the Air Quality Plan and I would like to take this occasion to reiterate my appeal that if the measures in the air quality plan will not manage to align our ambient air quality with the requirements of the directive, then Mepa will have the duty to recommend further measures in order to make sure that the limit values enforced by the ambient air quality directive are complied with, in the interest public health and our environment.