Louis Grech raises black dust problem in EP

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100452

The years-long black dust problem which for years has been seriously annoying householders in the south, and which has raised health issues, has been brought to the attention of the European Parliament by Labour MEP Louis Grech, who tabled a question about the subject.

Mr Grech drew the attention of the European Commission to the fact that people living in many towns and villages in the south-east of Malta had been complaining about black dust particles since 2000, in spite of which the Maltese government had failed to address the problem, so much so that it is still claiming that it does not know the source of the dust. Mr Grech highlighted the fact that the areas around the Grand Harbour were disproportionately affected by industrial emissions that badly affected health and the environment.

The Labour MEP asked the commission whether it was not of the view that the fact that the Environmental Regulator in Malta was only now collecting samples from the air quality stations merely confirmed that the Maltese government had failed to effect serious monitoring of air quality.

He further asked whether the commission could investigate whether Malta was complying with EU regulations about emissions and the environment.

Mr Grech said the commission should insist with the Maltese authorities that they should take all the appropriate steps to draw up a plan so that the problem could be solved once and for all. He said that action was urgently needed because the Maltese government had had enough time to do so.