Stringent public health standards are hallmarks of an administration that protects its citizens from unnecessary risks. Environmental pollution is a major risk that is threatening the prosperity of many countries, including those that are performing well economically.
Environmental health pollution relates to the excessive noise caused by road and airport traffic as well as by industry, construction and other outdoor activities. Malta’s concentration of built-up areas with extensive ownership of cars, high tourist numbers and innumerable construction projects makes it particularly difficult for people to cope with the high levels of noise, especially in our urban environment.
Prolonged exposure to noise has become a serious threat to many people’s health as it causes annoyance that could lead to high stress levels, mental health problems, sleep disturbance and cardiovascular diseases. Many have so far endured silently the unacceptably high levels of noise in our environment hoping that public health authorities would act as they are legally bound to do.
At last, concrete action is now being taken by public-spirited individuals and NGOs that are prodding the authorities to mitigate the noise pollution in the country. John Fenech, of the Noise Abatement Society, said that the Environment Commissioner within the office of the Ombudsman has forwarded the society’s complaint about noise pollution to the European Ombudsman. The Environment Ministry has called in experts to advise it on noise pollution issues.
Mr Fenech rightly noted that we have a problem when it comes to observing regulations in this country. Many doubt whether there is the political will to tackle the deterioration in the quality of our environment, including noise pollution. Ordinary people hope action by the EU is more likely to address the deterioration in our environmental standards than the inertia of local public health authorities. The Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise is the main EU instrument to identify noise pollution levels and to trigger the necessary action.
The directive requires member states to prepare and publish, every five years, noise maps and noise management action plans. If such plans have been made by the Maltese public health authorities, not many people know about them and even fewer can vouch for any audible improvement in the noise levels they are exposed to on a daily basis.
The European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the need for further cuts in limit values and for improved measurement procedures with regard to environmental noise. The Environmental Noise Directive goes further and instructs member states to “consult the concerned public”.
The noise pollution problems in this country are caused by a number of elements that need to be managed effectively. Nothing much can be done about the present building density in a relatively small area. But new major construction projects should only be approved if safeguards are embedded to reduce the impact of increased road transport with the air and noise pollution it entails.
Economic growth at all costs is a poor social strategy that, in the end, does little to improve the quality of life of people. The cost we are paying for the current economic growth is not being evaluated exhaustively enough. The well-being of people will always matter.