ESG Press Release 4th June 2010

“Gibraltar in spotlight on eve of World Environment Day””

Gibraltar is in the EU spotlight at present due to breaches of EU law and high levels of particulate matter (PM10’s). Gibraltar has previously been threatened with similar action by the EU with levels of nitrogen dioxide. Both these pollutants are produced in the combustion process and especially from marine diesel engines, and are harmful to health. As we know our three power generating stations run on marine diesel.

It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice this week that emissions from these and other sources have been much worse than usual and more heavily felt given the rising temperature and need for better ventilation in the home or work environment.

Noise and Air pollution from all three stations make these especially impacting on our health and quality of life- Govt promises to shut these down and have them replaced with a state of the art power station, by 2010, was clearly never going to happen. While some delays are understandable the reality is that we will be waiting some time before the highly polluting plants are shut down. OESCO, the largest of the three and running 24 hrs a day, was licensed under new and stricter controls in 2007 – a licence which was issued subject to various conditions being met. Among these were that emissions were to be reduced and a feasibility study needed to be done by industry to work out a plan. OESCO did produce a plan but was never pressed into carrying it out by the local authority.
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We therefore look to Government to address this situation with new energy and hope this latest threat from the EU will help toward this.

People’s health is being put at risk and Government has the political, moral and legal
responsibility, to address this problem as a matter of urgency.