Mepa announces new environment permits system
A new draft environmental permits system has been drawn up by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) to improve the regulatory framework applicable to industrial activities of environmental significance.
The Authority said the proposed system will improve the protection of the environment, while offering several advantages to industry, such as legal certainty, clearer definition of environmental liability and the opportunity to identify priority environmental issues to enable appropriate risk management.
"The system which is risk-based, focuses the regulatory efforts on activities with potentially significant environmental impacts. Examples of such facilities would include fuel and container terminals, shipyards, airports, batching plants, quarries, fish farms, waste management activities, industrial activities with a discharge to sea and certain manufacturing plants," it said.
Businesses that carry out such activities will be required to apply for an environmental permit within a set timeframe in order to continue operating. The permit will include conditions on emissions to air, discharges of wastewater, noise and vibration, management of waste and appropriate storage of materials. The environmental permit may also include an improvement programme, to ensure that compliance with environmental standards is achieved within a set timeframe.
The industrial activities have been categorised into a four tier schedule depending on the different level of environmental risk. Each category has been given a different timeframe for an application to be submitted and for a permit to be issued.
Michael Sant who heads the Unit responsible for Industrial Permitting within Mepa said: "The environmental permitting system plays an integral role in ensuring that businesses are not only aware of environmental responsibilities but most importantly are able to meet their responsibilities."
"This new system will essentially cover industrial activities that carry a potential environment impact and which fall outside the regulatory parameters of the two other environmental permitting systems we currently manage, better known as the IPPC permitting for large-scale industrial and agriculture activities and the GBRs for micro, small and medium size enterprises which are below environmental permitting thresholds".
The proposed environmental permitting framework is accessible on the MEPA website www.mepa.org.mt/public-consultation. The Authority is encouraging the business sector, NGOs and the public to submit their feedback and comments throughout this public participation period, through email address environmental.permitting@mepa.org.mt. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Environmental Permitting & Industry Unit within Mepa on 2290-7230. The public participation exercise will close on the 31st January 2012.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
17 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Carmel Cilia
Dec 7th 2011, 09:01
MEPA is the worst thing that could have ever happened to this country. Malta has been tattered into a distorted sight with its legal blessings. How I wish that one day the people who are responsible would be brought to justice: I would volunteer to be the public hangman.
Carmel Garcia
Dec 7th 2011, 07:29
Il-MEPA ahjar tibaghat tara dak il-bini mibdi u mhux komplut ta' quddiem il-knisja parrokkjali ta' Hal Tarxien. Ilu mitluq 'il fuq minn ghaxar snin. Kulhadd jarmi l-imbarazz go fih. Anke latrina ghamluh. Haga tal-misthija u l-intejjen u l-grieden li jkun hemm anqas tissaportijhom. Jekk trid tkun emnutha l-MEPA tasal wasla sal-misrah ta' quddiem il-knisja ta' Hal Tarxien u tara b'ghajnejha imbaghad taghmel regolamenti godda.
Mario Grima
Dec 7th 2011, 01:17
This is excellent coming from MEPA who just a few days ago gave the green light for the power station to start using heavy fuel oil. Does MEPA think we are morons?
Joe Grech
Dec 6th 2011, 23:28
In THEORY, repeat THEORY this initiative should be advantageous. But what about the PRACTICAL ASPECTS?
Does MEPA have the requisite professional know how and personnel capable of managing this project? Will harsh penalties be introduced to punish all abusers - be these applicants, actual users and Mepa officials themselves?
May this project really take off well and serve to stop the ongoing degradation of our one and only environment!
Hopefully it is not just an election carrot meaning to hoodwink voters into thinking that the present administration has turned over a new leaf in environmental matters......
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 6th 2011, 23:06
Starting with noise pollution would be appreciated.
Kevin Barun
Dec 6th 2011, 22:06
No MEPA... You lost your credibility Yesterday, issuing the approval to Run the Delimara on Heavy Fuel Oil,
No you do not care what happens from our health.
No you do not get any applauses by proposing new systems when it is proven that Permits are issued according to what you believe an, and what you are told to do from above.
Vincent Gauci
Dec 6th 2011, 18:20
This is all well and good. However, it hinges on one crucial element: that of effective enforcement.
Michael Borg
Dec 6th 2011, 17:31
the idea is good BUT is it worth it ???are OTHER countries doing the same ?? useless us being clean when others much bigger then us arent !! it just puts us at a disadvantage !!
Marco Cremona
Dec 6th 2011, 19:10
Michael Borg,
doesn't the food you eat, the air you breathe, the water you drink and the noise you hear affect YOUR quality of life? (We should be regulating the polluter for OUR own sake!)
Marco Cremona
Dec 6th 2011, 16:58
MEPA's PR officer needs a crash course on the importance of TIMING! (as most of the comments below attest).
Furthermore, I sincerely hope that MEPA has the human resources to properly administer these environmental permits (and do spot checks). There are a lot of 'environmental consultants' out there who are ready to cash in on this opportunity, and are willing to sell their soul for a quick buck and will be issuing environmental reports like cheesecakes (copy and paste u mexxi) !
MEPA should have compiled a register of PROFESSIONAL consultants before launching this environmental permitting scheme.
Mario J Spiteri
Dec 6th 2011, 22:53
Nies bhalek ghandna bzonn Mr. Cremona, well done in your job! Niehu pjacir meta tkun qed tispjega xi haga ghax tidhol f'dettalji precizi. Grazzi u nawguralek.
JOSEPH ZAMMIT
Dec 6th 2011, 16:29
As long as the Maltese continue to defend the party colours, yes we remain stupid and mentally poor.
In this country, unfortunately, many are those who project their EGO on political parties; village saints; religious beliefs, just to mention a few.
Reading various blogs under different articles it is easy to realize how the argument takes the hue of Red or Blue--very pathetic to say the least.
William Calleja
Dec 6th 2011, 16:22
Will malta's powerplants be subject to these new regulations?
Mario J Spiteri
Dec 6th 2011, 15:45
Kemm qed tahsbuna imbecilli ghalkemm ahna cwiec maltin kif qalilna Tonio Fenech u Austin Gatt li qalilna li haqqna monument! Jekk tafu tisthu isthu wara l-kummiedja tragika li aghmiltu l-bierah!
Jonathan Sciberras
Dec 6th 2011, 16:48
They got their 500weekly.
Zgur li draw ma jisthux issa ta !!!!!!
Mr Alfred Grima
Dec 6th 2011, 15:28
"The Authority said the proposed system will improve the protection of the environment,"
The million dollar question is; and how this is going to happen, by issuing permits with the likes of the power station extension which runs with heavy fuel oil? Tafu tisthu? ....Ghamlulna pjacir u tkomplux tkazbru l-inteligenza tal-Maltin!
edward ciantar
Dec 6th 2011, 15:22
you're a joke....now, just after the power station debacle?!!!