An environmental NGO has lambasted the government for failing to take action against vehicle emissions, in spite of growing evidence of their harmful impact on health.
The government's neglect to act on the problem and protect the health of the nation is irresponsible, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar said in a statement.
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas recently said that Malta intends to request exemption from EU rules on air quality and PM10 particulate traffic pollution until mid-2011.
FAA said the standard approach of the government seemed to have become that of ignoring EU policies and then applying for exemptions. As well as dragging its feet on drawing up an air quality plan, the Environment Ministry is trying to buy yet more time by not submitting air quality notification of compliance to the EU.
FAA said there was now damning scientific proof confirming the adverse health effects of traffic pollution, especially that caused by faulty diesel engines. It said an updated report on the long-term effects of exposure to air pollutants on health prepared by the UK Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants further strengthened the case against particulates from vehicle exhaust emissions.
In spite of such evidence, the Malta Transport Authority and the environment and health authorities continued to ignore the fact that the health of people and especially children, continued to be jeopardised by blatant pollution from buses, including many private company buses, and many other diesel-powered vehicles, FAA said.
"This is a cause for concern for all of us and especially for parents of children whose health is being damaged through growing up in a polluted environment," said FAA health spokesman Dr George Debono.
"The highly polluting black smoke emitted by buses and other vehicles triggers asthma and results in defective lung development in children."
If Malta is lagging behind in complying with EU standards, the least that can be done at this point is to immediately deal with polluting vehicles.
FAA maintained that the ADT's decision to restart the SMS alert system last July - after an unannounced six-month suspension of the scheme - was cosmetic and ineffective. It had ceased to be a solution because so many had lost faith in it.
Pollution from many vehicles was blatant and clearly visible, the NGO said. The only effective way of dealing with this environmental scourge was for the police and wardens to report directly vehicles emitting visible smoke, while roadside testing must be intensified and made immediately effective. Most importantly, vehicles must be summarily tested; owners must not be given a chance to temporarily put things right just to pass VRT testing and then revert to previous malpractice, FAA said.