It is odd that the only way to elicit an immediate reply from a government department is to upset them by criticism (Dust particles and air quality, TMIS, 16 May).
Mepa took exception to a comment that dust particles resulting from traffic pollution and power generation installations are “37 times higher than the norm”. Based strictly on Mepa’s air quality monitoring data, this claim may indeed have been incorrect, but it was not so ‘wide off the mark’ if one goes by the visible pollution right in front of our eyes in our streets and the enormously high rate of childhood asthma in Malta.
The much-vaunted Mepa/MITC Air Quality Plan is also of little comfort – even if it is followed up. Reports come and go mostly unnoticed in Malta, like ships passing in the night, and then they are put away and forgotten so that nothing happens. Throwing reports at a problem is not much use if recommendations are not followed up.
The report is anyway too vehicle-orientated and there is little or no mention of electric cars, hybrid cars, or worthwhile measures to encourage healthy walking or cycling. Thus there is no mention whatsoever of road re-engineering to actively discourage car use in built-up areas and to encourage zero carbon options such as walking or cycling for short journeys. Neither has thought been given to a harbour transport ferry network; this could take an enormous public transport load off the roads around the harbour area. In addition to reducing pollution significantly, this would be a tourist attraction at the same time.
The report omits simple, inexpensive measures, which can be implemented immediately at little cost, aimed at persuading people to buy smaller (or electric) cars and to become less car dependent. Typically, the report contains too many vague proposals like “promoting cleaner vehicle technologies” without specifying how this will be done. In any event, the plan is insufficiently holistic to be of much use, the devil is in the detail and the list of possibilities is endless. By contrast, London is considering multimillion projects to introduce an extensive network of bicycle tracks, paths and lanes and to replace 100,000 conventional vehicles with electric vehicles.
As to air quality and, specifically, the excess of particulate dust, which is the most toxic of all the pollutants, Mepa may well be “continuously monitoring the concentration of dust particles in the air” in Msida, Gharb, Zejtun and Kordin. But these sampling points are not necessarily representative because they are not agglomerations where the highest concentrations of pollutants are expected to occur. Neither are they areas in which the population is likely to be exposed to pollution for significant periods. There are plenty of more appropriate sites – in, say, Hamrun, Birkirkara, Fgura or St Julian’s – which would permit a more realistic assessment.
Moreover, Malta being an overcrowded and densely urbanized island with mostly narrow roads, our pollution problem is horrendously serious at street level in built-up areas. Going by the book is no use in this situation. If Mepa is only interested in keeping its nose clean by appearing to fulfil EU criteria, then it is disregarding its duty of realistically protecting the health of the nation. In Malta, most people inevitably live close to streets which carry heavy traffic and it is now scientifically proven that people living in, or near, such roads and streets are at especially high risk of dying prematurely from lung or heart disease or cancer – and it is these who are exposed to pollution that should be given priority.
It is all very well for Mepa to hide behind statements such as “31 per cent of the exceedances that were recorded in Msida were due to Sahara dust intrusions” – Such ploys aimed at playing down the situation are mere creative accounting and juggling of figures. Even if such extrapolations are ‘legitimate’ and according to the rules, it does not address the real issue with regard to our very serious urban pollution. When it comes down to buses and other heavy and commercial vehicles, which visibly emit black, smoke a few feet away from pedestrians (and children) in highly used areas, this is nothing short of scandalous. These vehicles are breaking the law right under the noses of our police and wardens who do exactly nothing to enforce the law.
Dr G.G. Debono MD, DTM&H
SLIEMA