Environmental NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar has applauded the government's decision to clamp down on bus owners who started a boycott on emission tests.

The Public Transport Association has directed bus owners not to take their buses for emission tests until it was assured that those carrying out the tests were suitably qualified.

The Malta Transport Authority insisted that officials carrying out the tests were qualified, adding that it could not accept the excuse that buses emitted fumes because they were old.

The environmental group yesterday urged the public to stand firmly behind the authorities and not allow bus drivers to hold government to ransom over such an important issue.

"The arrogant attitude of the Public Transport Association is not to be tolerated and it is time that the pollution caused by these buses is eradicated," it said in a statement.

The FAA said that the pollution created by those buses was highly dangerous and public health would continue to be endangered as long as these buses are allowed to run "with engines that are defective, tampered with to save on fuel, not properly adjusted or being run on inferior fuel".

Committee member George Debono, a doctor, said the public needed to be aware of the serious health threat from the black smoke emitted by these buses. "This sooty smoke is extremely dangerous because it consists of minute particles called 'particulates' which are so fine that they can even be absorbed into the bloodstream," Dr Debono said.

Moreover, exposure to these pollutants also contributed to the high rate of asthma, especially among those living close to congested roads. The lungs of children exposed to traffic pollution also remains under-developed, FAA said.