Not much promise of dealing with dust

The recent publication of National Environment Policy guidelines augur a step in the right direction in what purports to be the European method of dealing with national environmental problems. Why such guidelines had to be formulated now after certain problems and logical solutions were known to the government for years, even more so when these inconveniences have been brought to the government’s attention on countless occasions is what, I for one, fail to comprehend.

European standards that determine certain limits already exist and are enforced by the European Commission when a breach of such norms is noted. One such instance is the quality of the air we breathe. Living in a large community affected daily by dust emitted from a quarry and its activities is considered, according to the policy guidelines, as living with a “large-scale polluter”. The government now contemplates the following options as a solution according to measures in the said guidelines: (3.5.2) step up the process to ensure that all operations requiring permits are permitted by 2016 (OPM/Mepa, MRRA/MRA, MCCAA); and (2.2.19 control construction dust through education and enforcement of the environmental management construction site regulations (ongoing) (MRRA, local councils, DLG). In short the government is allowing another five years during which a quarry operator can still operate by which time it will hopefully have contemplated whether “operations requiring permits are permitted” and also to “educate” those who for years has seen no reason to be educated. In the meantime the list of enforcement notices on Mepa’s website, including those of quarrying without a permit, just keeps on increasing as does the irreparable damage to our health due to the inhalation of fine dust, and to our property.

Infringement procedures initiated by the European Commission on fine dust were dropped in favour of believing dust was a natural phenomenon due to Malta’s proximity to the African deserts. Indeed this phenomenon might occur on a few days annually with southerly winds blowing fine red dust onto our islands.

However, the daily problem of locally generated white dust inhaled by many Maltese citizens seems insignificant to the Commission to the extent that infringement procedures were dropped.

The residents of San Pawl tat-Tarġa, no less than residents living in proximity of other quarries around Malta, endure a daily flow of dust emanating from mountains of uncovered materials that puff dust with every breeze and from a constant convoy of trucks, covered with handkerchief sized tarpaulins, spewing dust onto public roads from their load of construction materials originating from quarries.

To add to these inconveniences the crushing of rocks is regularly carried out within quarries in a totally uncovered contraption that competes with deserts when producing dust. The photograph above shows this ongoing practice that according to the Commission and together with other known sources, I am to believe is responsible for the daily influx of fine desert dust in my area.

The government proposing these environmental policy guidelines has been governing well before it was obliged to address these national problems in order to meet European standards and yet never bothered to regulate appropriately. It has been consulted by residents about such inconveniences as have its representatives in the European Parliament but to no avail.

Why it expects anyone to believe its passiveness over several years will change following guidelines published on paper is anyone’s guess. Unfortunately, actions speak louder than words and certainly years of total inaction are a better indicator of what one is to expect no matter the grandiose proposals presented.