Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) exhorted everyone yesterday to sign a petition that will be presented to the European Ombudsman urging the European Commission to initiate infringement procedures against the Maltese government over the high levels of air pollution in Lija.

During the press conference, AD deputy chairman Mario Mallia said that air pollution caused by the dust from the Blokrete factory has been going on for over 40 years with one government after the other showing their weakness to one who has power at the residents’ cost.

“As a result of the dust in the air, many residents are suffering – children and adults suffer from asthma and their quality of life is constantly threatened,” he said.

In the meantime, whoever is breaking the law keeps on doing so while both parties in Parliament remain silent on the issue,” said Mr Mallia.

AD spokesperson for Energy and Environment Ralph Cassar pointed out that although economic activity is important, increasing profits is no excuse for not taking precautions or installing the necessary equipment to reduce the dust.

“It is the duty of every contractor to reduce the impact of his activity on the environment and people’s health,” he said.

Mr Cassar explained that the effects of the enormous amount of dust in the air are well known.

These include an increase in respiratory problems such as wheezing and coughing, aggravating respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic pulmonary disease and aggravating heart problems.

AD spokesperson on EU Affairs and Secretary General of the European Green Party said that he is not satisfied with the European Commission’s declaration that the levels of air pollution in Lija breaches EU law.

The Commission was responding to a petition filed by Michael Zammit, a Lija resident, who claimed that a factory in Lija, Blokrete Ltd, which produces construction material, emits dust and causes noise pollution to the detriment of the health and safety of Lija residents.

The Commission admitted that, based on official data provided by the Maltese authorities, it transpired that the particulate matter (PM10) in the area of Lija exceeded EU limits and was, therefore, in breach of EU law.

The Commission also stated that it did not intend to institute infringement proceedings against Malta for the time being because the relevant EU law was being updated.

“During the past 40 years, the Maltese government has invented one excuse after the other and now it is saying that the Maltese laws are being reviewed again to try and hold the European Commission from taking action against it,” he said.

The EU cannot wash its hands of the matter and believe the Maltese government, which claims that it will do something after 40 years of doing nothing about the situation, said Prof. Cassola.

“It also cannot wash its hands of the decision taken by the European Ombudsman in 2005 against the European Commission over a similar case in Germany,” he said.

As a result, the AD wrote to the EU Ombudsman about this misadministration and requested his intervention with regard to the Commission about this issue, he said.

Architect Carmel Cacopardo urged all the residents and those interested to sign a petition that will be presented to the Ombudsman to help resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The petition states: “The Commission is to be severely censored and that it should take immediate action against the Maltese authorities so that this threat to the residents’ health, which has been a constant feature since the late sixties (i.e. 40 years), is removed immediately.”

It also said that the “Commission is now clearly flouting the draft recommendation of the European Ombudsman to the European Commission in complaint 289/2005/(WP) GG regarding a complaint raised in Lower Saxony, whereby the Ombudsman concluded that the Commission should deal with the complainant’s infringement complaint diligently and without undue delay.”

Finally, the petition said: “In the Lija Case, the Commission’s argument not to open an infringement procedure because a revision of the air quality directive in Malta is pending is totally unacceptable.”