Horrified by the air quality

Elenauk wrote:

We've just moved in and are very upset about air quality on this nice island. We live in Sliema and even seaside area is very polluted, no sea breeze at all! I beleive people must know about this before moving. Does anyone know any less polluted areas here?

I do not have any info about other places in Malta but here are some comparisons of pollution indexes. Malta and Sliema ranks very bad.

Comparisons:

Malta
Pollution Index:     67.28
Pollution Exp Scale:     118.59

Sliema
Pollution Index:     75.86
Pollution Exp Scale:     134.87

Spain
Pollution Index:     49.38
Pollution Exp Scale:     82.36

Madrid
Pollution Index:     61.49
Pollution Exp Scale:     117.29

Monaco
Pollution Index:     33.62
Pollution Exp Scale:     72.55

UK
Pollution Index:     36.31
Pollution Exp Scale:     60.55

London
Pollution Index:     55.10
Pollution Exp Scale:     94.88

Cyprus
Pollution Index:     56.44
Pollution Exp Scale:     97.15

Nicosia
Pollution Index:     63.74
Pollution Exp Scale:     112.82

China
Pollution Index:     89.46
Pollution Exp Scale:     164.15

Beijing
Pollution Index:     88.17
Pollution Exp Scale:     163.55

USA
Pollution Index:     32.31
Pollution Exp Scale:     57.16

NY
Pollution Index:     51.72
Pollution Exp Scale:     91.84

Paris
Pollution Index:     58.11
Pollution Exp Scale:     99.68

Brussels
Pollution Index:     57.90
Pollution Exp Scale:     103.31

Berlin
Pollution Index:     27.90
Pollution Exp Scale:     47.69

Worldwide map:
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/gmaps.jsp

More info:
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/

Nitrogen dioxide, emitted by both petrol and diesel vehicles, increased in concentration between 2004 and 2007 and there are indications that this is due to an increased number of vehicles. Benzene, a carcinogenic substance emitted from petrol-powered cars, exceeded acceptable levels in Sliema, Floriana, Birkirkara and Ħamrun, where traffic measures are being proposed in order to cut pollution levels at certain times. St Anne's Street, in Floriana recorded a spike in benzene levels throughout the festive season owing to the increase in traffic towards Valletta for Christmas shopping.

Other excesses were recorded in particulate matter emissions, which are largely caused by diesel-powered cars. The biggest pollution levels were recorded at the Msida air monitoring station, with the daily limit value being exceeded 56 times last year, 21 times more than the allowed value of 35.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi … rds.275229

Elenauk wrote:

Redmik, I see your point:) ...but  dont think this can help  much, as  I read that quite substantial air polution comes from international shipping lines which are very close to Malta plus polution from hurds bank vessels.

You're not serious are you?

Glad our area is clear in all cases.
We can sit on our balcony, in the clean cooling breeze blowing up the valley and enjoy a cigarette or two.
That's why we came to retire here.

redmik wrote:

Glad our area is clear in all cases.

Same here in the South Enjoying sunbathing on my terrace and listening to the birds which are breeding in the vent-duct of my house

btw, I'm afraid that the situation with air pollution in Sliema will get worse during summer/tourist season ...

Markus

Malta has no large scale chemical industry. The major sources of pollution are : the power stations; the waste tips; sewage outflows; motor vehicles and the construction industry. The power stations at Marsa and Delimara, which from 1995 are both oil fired, emit sulphur dioxide which is the single most important contributor to acid rain. Acid rain damages : buildings, crops, birds, fish and trees. Sulphur dioxide also impairs respiration, is a trigger to asthmatic attacks and is also corrosive to the mucous membranes.

(...)

Recent analysis has shown that carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels at the power stations contribute to 50% of the Greenhouse Effect, also known as 'global warming'. Coal dust which used to be left uncovered at the Marsa power station is chemically active, as is coal ash which is slightly radioactive - we know that some Enemalta employees (particularly those involved in the transport of coal to the power station and of the ash to the Benghajsa dump) have had to be treated surgically because of the effect of the ash and dust on their respiratory system.

(...)

According to a report drawn up by Swedish scientists some years ago, the Maltese have the second highest level of lead in blood of various countries tested worldwide. Although the report did not conclusively indicate the reason for this phenomenon it indicated the large numbers of cars on the road and the burning of sump oil and (lead) painted wood in the bakeries as probable causes.
(...)

Source: http://www.foemalta.org/pollution.html

Elenauk wrote:

I can't even imagine what it will look like in summer.

It seems that not necessarily worse. I don't see too much logical relationship between months:

Benzene on January 2008:


February 2008:


March 2008


April 2008


June 2008


July 2008


August 2008


September 2008


October 2008


November 2008


December 2008


January 2009


February 2009:


March 2009:

Elenauk wrote:

I read that quite substantial air polution comes from international shipping lines which are very close to Malta plus polution from hurds bank vessels.

After reading this I have thought about the South of Spain and I have researched a little bit. It looks like the damage that those ships can make must not be ignored; The two places with more pollution in Spain are Huelva (the place with most pollution in Europe) followed by the Algeciras Bay (aka Gibraltar Bay). Huelva pollution is because of another reason but the pollution in the mentioned bay is due to the traffic of 100,000 ships per year and 20 million tons of oil that pass across the Strait of Gibraltar every year. Like it happens in Huelva, in that bay there is a high rate of cancer in the area. Indeed, these two places have the highest rate of cancer in Spain.

Malta has 6700 ships per year. Malta has under its flag vessels totalling 45.6 million gross tons representing 4.3 per cent of the world tonnage of ships. I obviously do not take serious the 45.6 million gross tons since they are probably counting vessels with Maltese flags just because of licenses and tax benefits but with no real activity in the island (what is called "flags of convenience").

If we compare Malta with other countries in this other info, it does not look that serious (but this info is only counting what is produced in the island -not the pollution received from the traffic that pass close the island-):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co … _emissionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co … per_capitahttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statis … statistics

rooikat wrote:

We can sit on our balcony, in the clean cooling breeze blowing up the valley and enjoy a cigarette or two.

That's really funny, why bother about external pollution while you pollute your own body

I'm not bothered, certainly not to the extent of some on here.
Having lived through the smog years of the 50's and 60's, in Liverpool and London I cannot become so interested as some seem to be, especially when thinking of the air on Gozo, which is wonderful and clear. I'm not bothered about my body as I hope to break before I grow old and I have completed enough marathons (one sub 4 hrs in Paris)and many other athletic events to last me now. A cigarette has kept me company upon the top of many a mountain and whilst in many a hole in the ground, in the Falklands and elsewhere.
I never smoke indoors or near anyone who does not choose to smoke. So no lectures please; save your own breath!

redmik wrote:

I'm not bothered. Didn't say I was. It was also call humour.

Hi Mick

......and to further dampen your enthusiasm for moving to Gozo and Malta here are a few reminders of why I'm not coming again:


The sea gets far too warm in the Summer




The views are rubbish




There's nothing to do




It lacks history and culture



The people are boring





I honestly don't know what you see in it chap.........

rooikat wrote:

Oops! We are touchy today

So what? Glad I amuse you. I don't know you; you don't know me, so personal comments like that are hardly appropriate.

rooikat wrote:

I wasn't aware that many people on this blog did know each other

If I have offended you I am sorry - won't do it again, promise

You'd be surprised at how many of us do.
No worries.
Ciao!

ShereKhan8 wrote:

About the air in Gozo, it was perhaps clean in the past, but I can tell you that it is very bad quality in summer now when they literally bombard the island with fireworks without any respect for the population. Chemicals and smells are everywhere: in the fields, houses, shops, supermarkets... I had to dump bread I had bought because these chemical smells were sticking to it. Firework chemicals infiltrate  the ground and the water. In brief, they are a real disaster for he environment.

You have posted on a topic from 2013,it would be better to start a new one, also why do four separate posts?

ShereKhan8 wrote:

These posts were meant to reply to disctinctive contributions to the blog. At this stage I do not want to launch a full new discussion of the topic. This discussion is well informed and, as far as I can see, the situation since 2013 has not changed for the better. Other detailed, recent discussions can be found on Facebook (page Public Health Hazards).

There is no point in posting on a topic from five years ago!