According to the Health Department, “European studies” show that Malta’s cancer and asthma rates are among the lowest in the EU (January 14). This is misleading.

The statement also omits mention of rates of asthma in Maltese children either because they are unavailable or maybe because they were conveniently omitted. Also omitted is that fact that there are areas in Malta that are intensely polluted – far beyond what is acceptable.

The scientific evidence for an association between exposure to fossil fuel emissions and lung cancer, asthma attacks and heart disease is irrefutable. Even short-term increases in exhaust pollutant concentrations are accompanied by overall increases in respiratory disorders and exacerbations of asthma.

There is also indisputable scientific evidence that residences on or near a traffic-congested road are associated with higher incidence of asthma attacks, the risk of lung cancer and premature mortality from heart disease and other causes.

Irrespective of the Health Department’s source of statistical information on asthma and cancer, the data from Malta tell quite another story. First of all, Malta has been shown to have an exceptionally high consumption of asthma medication. Increased hospital admission rates in areas like Fgura, Paola, Tarxien, Santa Luċija and Cottonera have also been observed.

Another study demonstrated that the prevalence of asthma or asthma-like symptoms in Fgura were among the highest ever recorded internationally – higher than all other countries, with the one exception of Melbourne.

The association between fossil fuel emission and lung (and possibly other cancers like breast cancer) is now indisputable. In any event, overall cancer rates are not a true reflection index of pollution, since lung cancer is the index cancer marker for pollution. Furthermore, it is reckless to issue a falsely reassuring pronouncement that there is no proven link between cancer and the Delimara station when it is known that lung cancer develops through a series of progressive changes in lung tissue over as long as 15 to 20 years.

Thus the possibility cannot be discounted that Malta will experience an excess of cancer cases during the coming years in the present adult and young generation. This could be the result of our currently excessive traffic pollution or our continuing oil-powered energy generation – or both.

Our power generation is still far from ideal because major generation from cleaner or renewable sources is still practically nil owing to lack of foresight and misguided decisions. At the same time, pollution in our roads remains a serious, ever-present threat.

Even if Malta’s national air quality, as measured by our monitoring stations, is claimed to largely conform to EU standards, the findings from our monitoring stations do not necessarily reflect the intense pollution in traffic-congested narrow streets.

Therefore, rather than trying to falsely reassure the electorate on the potential of our fossil fuel-driven power stations to cause cancer and intensify asthma, a prospective health minister should be informing us about steps that will be taken by his or her elected party to decrease our current exposure to intense pollution from fossil fuel pollution.

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