Particulate matter concentrations

Do particulate matter concentrations meet EU air quality standards?

Particulate matter (PM) consists of very small suspended solid or liquid particles, which have short- and long-term effects on health: from general ill-health to respiratory problems such as asthma, as well as cardiovascular effects. PM originates mainly from combustion in transport and power generation, quarrying and construction dust, mechanically generated dust, tyre and brake abrasion, and aerosols of transboundary origin, but also includes dust from natural sources like atmospheric sea salt and wind-blown dust.

In 2010 Malta’s real-time monitoring stations recorded high levels of PM10, although they are partly from natural sources, which may be deducted in computing final EU reporting figures, and so EU compliance. The EU daily limit value of 50µg/m³ should not be exceeded more than 35 times a year (approximately 10 per cent of days measured).

In 2010, at Msida, which is the site most dominated by traffic, the limit value was exceeded on 80 out of 340 days measured (23.5 per cent of days measured).

Following deduction of natural sources, Msida was left with 37 exceedences (or 11 per cent) of days measured. At Għarb the threshold was exceeded on 39 out of 326 days (12 per cent of days measured) in 2010, and the highest concentration for 2010, of 366µg/m³, was recorded in this locality.

Following deductions of natural sources, it emerged that all but one of the exceedances at this station were due to natural sources. The urban site in Żejtun recorded exceedances on 33 or 10.2 per centof the days measured. Malta is in line with EU standards with regards to PM2.5.

For more information see The Environment Report Indicators 2010-2011 at http://www.mepa.org.mt/teri2010-2011.