May 14 - Feetham To Probe Government On “Sharp Pollution Increase”
The Leader of the Opposition says he will be asking a series of questions next week in Parliament about the sharp increase in Nitrogen Dioxide pollution levels in 2014 compared to the position in 2013. He says that these increased levels have continued to be registered so far this year.
A spokesman for the GSD said: “Nitrogen Dioxide levels have increased in 24 of the 27 Nitrogen Diffusion Monitoring stations in Gibraltar. Further, EU Directives provide for an annual average Limit Value of Nitrogen Dioxide of 40 Micrograms per Cubic Meter of Air.
“In 2012, 22 out of 27 sites exceeded the annual average Limit Value. In 2013, 16 out of the 27 sites exceeded the annual average Limit Value. In 2014, 25 out of the 27 sites exceeded the annual average Limit Value prescribed by those Directives of 40 Micrograms per Cubic Meter of Air. Indeed, of those 25, 12 stations recorded values of over 50 Micrograms per Cubic Meter of Air and 8 recorded values of over 60. These are very high levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. The population is, therefore, being exposed to levels of pollutants much higher than the limit values set under EU law for the protection of human health and this is increasing.
“The Leader of the Opposition will be asking the Government to provide an explanation for these increases.
“The GSD is also committed to introducing more monitoring stations, to get a better understanding of where this increase in pollution originates from.
“The Leader of the Opposition will also be asking about the implementation of WOPS, which is a GSLP-Liberal manifesto commitment and questions in relation to where the Government is spending savers’ money from the Gibraltar Savings Bank.”
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