Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party’s Chairperson and MEP candidate , Arnold Cassola together with AD’s other MEP candidate Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros, addressed a press conference on AD’s proposed actions for the improvement of air quality when elected to the European Parliament.

Prof Cassola said, “We chose to address the press conference over here because this site houses Mepa’s air quality monitoring station in Msida. This station is one of the four stations which form the air quality monitoring network in Malta. If one had to take a look at the data which is available online on the Mepa website, one will see that the annual limit value for fine dust particles known as PM10 has been exceeded a number of times. This is indicative of the fact that in Malta excessive traffic flows are the major contributors of this pollutant.  Other sources of dust such as construction dust are a nuisance and must be controlled, but the most dangerous dust of all is that from traffic and which is usually invisible to us.”

MEP candidate Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros added, “We are in a heavily populated area, with thousands of people living in this area, and thousands of students in schools and colleges, private clinics and hospitals. Mepa’s data clearly indicates that we have a huge problem here in Msida, and it might well be the case that the limit value for PM10 are being exceeded in other heavily populated and traffic jammed areas such as Fgura, Hamrun and Floriana. This is one of our main issues and an AD MEP together with the Green Group in the European Parliament will continue working in favour of strengthening EU directives regarding air quality. The Greens have consistently worked for better air quality and ours is not a recently discovered fad, unlike other politicians who recently started giving lip service to the environment only to vote against strict measures in favour of people’s health in the European Parliament or give in to the oil and car manufacturers lobby.”

AD spokesperson on energy, industry and transport Ralph Cassar concluded, “Particulate matter adversely affects human health, this pollutant is known to cause nose and throat irritation, and more serious effects such as aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease and eventually premature deaths. By voting for AD in the European Elections, the Maltese electorate will be strengthening the Green Group in the European Parliament and together with our colleagues in the Green-EFA group we will make sure that the emission standards for new cars especially for heavy goods vehicles are the strictest practicable!

“For us Greens the health and the quality of life of the citizens take priority over the interests of the car manufacturers lobby. We also have to point out that in order to tackle this problem, rejuvenating our car fleet is imperative. Incentives in favour of cleaner cars, together with the replacement of the entire bus fleet to buses using methane and electric buses is a first step. Another effective measure is the overhaul of the mass transportation system – we are still waiting this long overdue investment which should include new transportation concepts including the encouragement of walking and cycling in major town centres, ferries between all maritime towns including St. Julians, Sliema, Msida, Ta’ Xbiex, Valletta, Marsaskala and Cottonera, and serious consideration of tram and other rail systems.”