The Light Pollution Awareness Group (LPAG) yesterday called on Malta to follow the example of fellow new EU member Slovenia, which last week adopted its first light pollution law.

The group, which forms part of the International Dark Sky Association, yesterday remarked it was high time that similar measures were implemented in Malta and Gozo, where no such legislation existed and which suffered from excessive light pollution.

The problem was so serious in Malta that, the LPGA observed, there was nowhere in Malta or Gozo where the night sky could be observed in its pristine state, without light pollution.

To view an unpolluted night sky, one needed to travel 30 kilometres out to sea.

The state of affairs, the LPAG pointed out, was greatly reducing the amount of scientific astronomical work carried out in Malta, as well as deteriorating the quality of the islands’ nocturnal ecological environment.

Malta’s blanket of light pollution furthermore constituted an enormous waste of energy in that lights were cast skywards serving, as the LPAG pointed out, “no useful purpose other than to highlight Malta’s dismal record in this area”.

The chief culprits in Malta, according to the LPAG, were non-cut-off street lighting and poorly designed floodlighting schemes. Non-cut-off street lights allowed light to be emitted in all directions and were one of the least efficient means of putting light on the ground or where it was needed.

The new Slovenian law, which was passed last week after 12 years of deliberations, was struck through coordination between the Government, lighting experts and environmentalists.

The new Slovenian law requires the use of fully shielded luminaires, prohibits lighting above the horizontal for most types of fixtures, limits the direction of lighting into residential dwellings, requires reduction in the amount of energy used for public lighting and states that lighting should only be used where necessary and during the hours needed. Buildings considered a part of cultural heritage, including many churches, will be illuminated to a lesser extent.

Cost savings of up to EUR10 million are expected to emerge from the new law, with a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.