Malta needs comprehensive laws targetting noise pollution, AD says

The widespread noise pollution in Malta has to be addressed due to the detrimental health effects this causes, Alternattiva Demokratika said.

At a press conference in Zebbug on Saturday, AD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo highlighted that while regulations prohibiting construction work from taking place before 7am or after 8pm, and on Sunday and public holidays, had been introduced a while ago, these were not being enforced well.

“Work is still being carried out outside the permitted time,” he said, “The problem, as in many other areas, is the lack of action by authorities who do not seem to be interested in enforcing their own regulations. We need comprehensive legislation to tackle noise pollution.”

AD said that it had chosen Zebbug as the location for the conference since an area between that town and Rabat was home to an entertainment establishment which generated a lot of noise during the night, causing a major inconvenience to residents.

AD Zebbug local council candidate Samuel Muscat insisted that the technology existed which could address such an issue. “Local councils should put pressure on government authorities so that the issue of noise from various establishments is addressed without further delay,” he said.

He also remarked that residents had to also contend with noise pollution created by cars, and while it was illegal to install modified sound-amplifying silencers to vehicles, the law in this regard was not being adequately enforced.