Who

MEP Simon Busuttil has been actively campaigning against dust emissions in Malta.

Soon after Malta joined the EU in 2004, he publicly supported measures to control car exhaust emissions on the basis of EU standards on VRT testing.

In 2007, he supported a petition lodged by residents in Lija with the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament, of which Busuttil is a member. The residents expressed their concern on dust pollution emitted from a construction plant in the neighbourhood. On Busuttil’s request the petition was kept open until concrete improvements were registered in the interests of Lija residents. The company took remedial action to reduce inconvenience by shifting uncovered construction material, by erecting fencing and by installing sprinkler systems on the site.

In 2008, Busuttil supported Naxxar residents who similarly complained against dust emissions from a nearby construction plant. In a public meeting, he met residents on the site and promised to look into the matter. He met the owners of the plant on the same day to discuss the complaint with them and to seek urgent remedial action. This complaint is still being addressed.