By Caroline Muscat

Countries under pressure to solve immediate economic problems often seek to industrialise as quickly and as cheaply as possible.

Too often, the myopic drive for quick economic gains means that destruction is taken for development and deterioration for progress.

Whilst profitable enterprise is necessary for the economy, damage to the environment and human health cannot be discounted. Simply because an enterprise creates profit and economic growth, it is not necessarily right. Yet, environmental conservation need not run contrary to economic growth.

In Malta, a substantial portion of our industry is dealing with hazardous substances and generating toxic waste and many of our firms are importing and promoting products for local consumption made of hazardous materials.

The predicted increase in the quantities of waste, resulting from such activities is why the Maltese public is now faced with plans to build an incinerator in the year 2013. Yet, the myth that incineration will rid us of waste problems will only allow hazardous production processes to continue.

Commercial enterprise that also safeguards the environment is possible. The real solution is clean production processes that are less energy-intensive, that seek the conservation of natural resources by avoiding excess and choosing environmentally-friendly materials, and which avoid the use of hazardous chemicals, substances or materials made from them.

Based on past experience in several countries from Europe to the US, a direct correlation has emerged between public access to information and environmental protection. When the public holds industries accountable, factories succeed in achieving a reduction in emissions and increase their efforts to control pollution. A ‘Toxic Use and Release Inventory’, listing the chemicals and their quantities used by industry, is a crucial tool. Each individual has a right to know of any potential hazards being faced.

Economic growth cannot be calculated on profit alone. We must start to take into account the hidden costs in terms of environmental degradation. It is about focusing on improving the quality of life, as opposed to focusing only on improving the standard of living.

Ms Muscat is Communications Director, Greenpeace Mediterranean

 
By Godwin C. Micallef

Contrary to common belief, private industry in Malta is not contributing in any serious way to the deterioration of our environment. From the beginning of its industrialisation over 35 years ago, Malta managed to encourage industrial activity that is less harmful to our environment. Fortunately, we do not have any heavy industrial plants like oil refineries, chemical plants and smelting industries.

The consultation document ‘A Solid Waste Management Plan for Malta’ states that industry has, by far, the highest percentage of recovered waste. The same document also established that in the case of industrial waste, the operational methods and the contracts adopted are more efficient and more effective than that of municipal solid waste.

Major industries in Malta are mainly EU members’ subsidiaries and they follow strict environment management policies. Even major Maltese industries have, in recent years, been adopting such policies that are highly considerate to the environment. There are a number that have succeeded in acquiring ISO certification in this respect.

The Malta Federation of Industry, which is the representative organisation of private industry in Malta, has a very active environment committee, which has been operating for over seven years. This committee contributed to various FOI position papers, including the FOI position on environment strategy issued over four years ago. This was updated early last year.

Since 1993, the FOI has also jointly organised with the Ministry of the Environment, the annual Industry Environment Conference. Every year, a special theme is chosen and foreign and local experts are invited to share their knowledge and experience with our industry.

The FOI works very closely with the authorities and its members are invited to participate with their views on any new legislation. The FOI succeeded, for the first time in Malta, to conclude a Voluntary Undertaking, on behalf of its members for Liquid Effluent Discharge Waste with the Drainage Department.

Mr Micallef is the Chairman of the FOI Environment Affairs Working Group