Regulations are being introduced to control dust emissions from building sites, possibly next year. It is about time this problem is tackled seriously. Dust concentrations in the air in Malta exceed limits set by EU directives.

It has been established that dust is the cause of various ailments, particularly asthma in children. There has been much talk as to how to minimise the amount of dust, especially that created by building sites.

I live in an area where a new block of flats is being constructed and, as can be expected, clouds of dust are released every day, dust which is so detrimental to people's health. Very young children live just a few metres away.

Considering that most of the dust is created by the cutting of bricks and stones by saw and chaser, I am making the following suggestions which, if implemented, will cut dust emissions by at least 90 per cent.

Brick manufacturers should be asked to produce the full-size, the half-size and the quarter-size brick. This should also apply to quarried stone. This would avoid the need to cut bricks on the building site. Whenever possible, the builder should leave a gap between one layer of bricks and another for the insertion of electric conduit and water pipes. This would eliminate a certain amount of dust.

If we really want to reduce the amount of dust in the atmosphere we have to grab the bull by the horns. Serious problems demand drastic measures, otherwise we will not be really addressing this national problem. Any other valid ideas are welcome.