The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) has launched a new environmental permitting programme for all quarries in Malta and Gozo to mitigate the inconvenience these operations have on neighbourhoods and increase the standards of environment compliance within the industry.

Michael Sant, manager for permitting and industry within the Environment Protection Directorate said:

“One of the major problems associated with the operations of quarries is the high dust levels these plants generate.

“While it is evident that we have a larger number of quarries compared to our geographical size, the problems and inconvenience of dust generated from quarries vary from one place to another.”

Most problems were due to quarries in close proximity to residential areas such as in Attard, Mqabba and San Pawl tat-Targa, he said.

The new system would group quarries in Malta and Gozo in 12 clusters, based upon location and operational similarities.

Blasting had to take place at some, such as those in Attard and Naxxar, due to the nature and composition of the stone material, but not in others where the stone was softer, such as in Mqabba. The traffic impact of trucks upon residential areas also differed between quarries depending upon their location.

The aim of this permitting system was to address environmental shortcomings and assist quarry owners to achieve the full legal compliance according to the environmental regulations.

The authority expected all operational quarries to be in the process of full compliance by the end of next year.

In the coming days Mepa will be contacting quarry owners to start explain the legal requirements of this new legislation and the permitting process.

It said it remained committed to ensure that the concept of sustainability did not remain a theoretical concept but a measure that safeguarded the environment and improved people's quality of life.