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Research quantifies increased life and wealth from cleaner air
EU-supported research findings by the Aphekom project (1) show that significant health and monetary benefits could result from further reducing current levels of air pollution in European cities.
Project coordinator, Dr. Sylvia Medina of the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS), said: “Our project shows that compliance with WHO’s annual air-quality guideline on PM2.5 fine particles (10 micrograms/cubic metre) in 25 large European cities (2) could both add up to 22 months of life expectancy for persons 30 years of age and older, and produce 31.5 billion euros in monetary health benefits every year."
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Air Pollution Petition
Please help us prevent damage to our health from heavy pollution caused by buses and other diesel-powered vehicles that emit black smoke by signing the petition below and circulating this message to all your family and friends.
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Baseless claims on vehicle taxation 08.07.10
Until a few years ago, pollution, air quality and the environment were not part of politicians' vocabulary. To claim that registration tax (1994) on cars had environmental aspirations is as baseless as the denial that the black dust which had settled in the south of Malta had anything to do with switching off the Marsa power station precipitators.
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Air monitoring stations located in line with EU directive - Mepa - Times of Malta
07/07/2010 - The four air monitoring stations which determine the concentration levels of most air pollutants every 15 minutes are located in accordance and as regulated by the EU directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said.
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Malta opts for heavy fuel oil as EU steers away from it 06.07.10
The EU is steering away from the use of oil-fired power stations, a study has found, but Malta goes in the opposite direction, opting to have an extension of the Delimara plant using heavy fuel oil.
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Lack of Action on Air Quality Health Threat 04.07.10
On the 24th June it was reported that Malta had taken the easy way out on air monitoring by convincing the EU that almost half of the 52 occasions when Malta exceeded EU limits of particulate matter in our air had were due to "natural causes" like 'dust from the Sahara Desert' and sea spray.
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WHO on Air Quality
The air we breathe can be contaminated by emissions from motor vehicles, industry, heating and commercial sources (outdoor), as well as tobacco smoke and household fuels (indoor).
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Delimara Power Station Extension Sludge 12.06.10
Now that the dust seems to have settled in the debate on the Delimara Power Station Extension (DPSE), the environment NGOs Friends of the Earth, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and Ramblers’ Association of Malta are seriously concerned that there are still potentially serious environmental problems which have not been properly tackled.
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Delimara Power Station Threat to Public Health 28.04.10
The environment NGOs Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Friends of the Earth, NatureTrust and Ramblers are greatly concerned by the major public health issues involved in the emissions of the proposed Delimara Power Station extension to be run on heavy fuel oil.
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The nation’s health continues to be ignored - 14.10.09
It is commendable that Malta has made the seemingly impossible undertaking to meet the EU legally-binding limits on air pollutants by next year, through increased use of the CCGT plant, combustion optimisation and modification of boilers at the Delimara generation plant, however this still ignores the more immediate and direct threat to peoples' health from street level traffic pollution.
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Actions on Vehicle Emissions - 31.08.09
It was recently announced that Malta will request exemption from EU rules on air quality and PM10 particulate traffic pollution until mid-2011. The standard approach of our Government seems to be that of ignoring EU policies and then applying for exemptions. There is now irrefutable, damning scientific proof confirming the adverse health effects of traffic pollution, especially that caused by faulty diesel engines.
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CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR RESIDENTS’ WELFARE - 27.06.08
Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) deplores the fact that once again the Fort Cambridge (ex-Holiday Inn) project is set to violate residents’ rights as its imminent adjudication will take place without the most important studies.
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Smoking Buses - 15.05.08
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) wholeheartedly supports the firm stand taken by Government as regards bus owners who insist on defying the authorities by refusing to allow their buses to be tested for fuel emissions. The arrogant attitude of the Public Transport Association is not to be tolerated and it is time that the pollution caused by these buses is eradicated.
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The effects of Air Pollution on Our Health - 09.04.08
A well-attended lecture recently organized by Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar with the cooperation of the US Embassy provided a unique learning opportunity for those concerned at the effects of Malta's air pollution problem caused by our dense traffic. Senior Policy Advisor in the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Ms Catherine Witherspoon’s lecture delivered at the Chamber of Commerce lecture hall focussed on the Health Effects of Air Pollution and was followed by a lively debate.
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Air Pollution and its effects on Human Health - 03.04.08
A public meeting on the subject of “Air Pollution and its effect on Human Health”is to take place at the Lorenzo Manche Boys School (Ospizio) in Floriana on Thursday 3rd April at 6 pm.
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ADT silent while our lungs burn - 19.09.07
This week is European Mobility Week which aims to help improve people's health and quality of life by promoting healthier forms of transport and which will culminate in a car-free day on Saturday 22nd September. Any local initiatives however, are bound to lose credibility given the public perception that far from decreasing, vehicle emissions are on the rise.
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