1. Background
The Environment and Resources Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise, has prepared an Air Quality Plan for Malta, in accordance with the Ambient Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC).
The Directive calls for Member States to maintain ambient air quality where it is good and improve it in other cases, by means of plans and programs of action. The Ambient Air Quality Directive is transposed into national regulations through the Ambient Air Quality Regulations (S.L. 549.59), which also set limit values for a number of pollutants, including particulate matter (PM10).
Trends in air quality data demonstrate that locations which experience high volumes of traffic as well as high levels of traffic congestion suffer from poorer air quality. Following the assessment of data from ERA’s monitoring stations for the year 2018, it was concluded that Msida Air Quality Monitoring Station exceeded the allowed number of exceedances of the daily limit value for particulate matter (PM10). Therefore, this Air Quality Plan focuses on transport-related measures, while considering other potential sources too.
2. Consultation
The primary goal of the plan is to implement measures in the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), an area characterized by poorer air quality. This area includes Pietà, Floriana, Msida, Marsa, Ħamrun, Qormi, Luqa, and Paola in the Northern and Southern Harbour Districts. The AQMA is divided into two zones: the North Zone (Pietà, Msida, Floriana, Ħamrun, and northern Marsa) will see short to medium-term measures aimed at reducing congestion. The South Zone (southern Marsa, Qormi, Paola, and Luqa) will implement short to long-term measures, including road infrastructure improvements to alleviate traffic. Other infrastructural projects outside the South Zone will also contribute to the reduction of congestion times.
The plan outlines actions that have already had a positive impact on Malta’s air quality, actions committed to by the Government for imminent implementation, and additional proposed measures designed to further enhance air quality in Malta. The primary focus is on the transport sector, with the proposed additional measures mainly aiming to reduce dependence on private vehicles, promote sustainable mobility, increase awareness, implement infrastructural interventions, and enhance the vehicle technology fleet, among others.
ERA is inviting the public and interested stakeholders to provide their feedback on the Air Quality Plan.
3. Documents
4. Submission of feedback
Comments are being invited through the below feedback form by 30 October 2023.
5. Further notes
Please be informed that comments submitted, together with the identity of the contributor, may be published online at the end of the public consultation, unless the contributor objects to the publication of his/her personal data. In this case, the contribution may be published in anonymous form.
All comments submitted shall be duly considered.
