Pollution is negatively affecting our health, ADPD says<\/p>\n
ADPD-The Green Party Deputy Chairpersons Carmel Cacopardo (candidate on districts 7 and 11) and Melissa Bagley (candidate on district 5) said pollution is damaging our health, and we are paying the price for this in the reduction in our quality of life. <\/p>\n
Speaking in Birzebbuga, ADPD said there is ongoing research that measures the impact of pollution on the ecosystem and whoever and whatever depends on it. In a recent publication, the European Environmental Agency pointed out that the current scientific evidence shows that there is a link between environmental pollution and the increase in risks to our mental health to which we are exposed. <\/p>\n
Mental health is also impacted by pollutants such as dust and noise; less of both will help our mental health. Sources of such pollutants include the excessive number of cars on our roads as well as the excessive noise levels generated by the Freeport Terminal, the Malta International Airport, as well as the entertainment industry. <\/p>\n
These sources of noise and particulate pollution have a negative impact on our quality of life, in particular, the health of those most vulnerable amongst us. Pollution affects healthy individuals, and disproportionately affects the vulnerable, including young children, older adults, and those with compromised respiratory and cardiovascular systems, ADPD said.<\/p>\n
This country has yet to acknowledge that noise pollution is having an effect on the health of those who live near the Freeport or the airport, including its points of access. Residents living in the area known as Tal-Papa Housing Estate in Birżebbuġa, for example, live right under the last part of the flight path of airplanes landing on the runway at the Gudja airport. We need to add that these residents are also putting up with the noise generated by the Freeport. As if this is not enough, they will have to put up with the racetrack, currently being built in Ħal Far. <\/p>\n
There are a number of measures that can be taken to control activity that generates excessive noise. For example, the airport does not generally operate at night. However, there are no such limitations on the Freeport operations. Such measures should also be taken, even if they will affect the workings of the said terminal. The same can be done for the entertainment industry. Any generated noise needs to be controlled in order to adequately protect the residential community. <\/p>\n
It is essential that we do not rely on international studies alone. There is a need to study the impact of noise from the Freeport operations and the airport on the surrounding residential community. The same can be said of the entertainment industry. Such studies would be of great benefit to us as they would help us to address the impact that such pollution has on our physical and mental health. Once this is done, we can plan a course of action to deal with this in a concrete fashion. <\/p>\n
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