Air pollution rules have already been tabled with the Environment Management Authority and will be laid in Parliament soon, despite strong criticisms from industrial companies.The assurance was given yesterday by Minister of State in the Ministry of the Environment Ramona Ramdial, as she spoke with reporters at the launch of the avionics trainee engineer programme at the Aviation Institute in Couva yesterday.
Ramdial said: "We have raised the standards with regard to industrial emissions and we have tabled, with the EMA, the new air pollution rules." She said the bill was already before the Legislative Review Committee (LRC)."It has been accepted and it will be laid in Parliament soon."She also explained that air pollution was the number one form of pollution in T&T.
"Some of the industries are not very happy with us, because they are saying it will be additional costs to upgrade the plants to accommodate the new rate allowed under the EMA," Ramdial said, adding that some industries in the Point Lisas Industrial estate were unhappy.
"We are serious about protecting the environment and we are committed to doing that."
Buses under the Public Service Transport Corporation (PTSC) will also be held accountable, she said."We will protect our communities from all forms of air pollution and we will also continue our green initiatives," Ramdial said.
The EMA says
The EMA Web site says air pollution is the most widespread form of pollution in T&T affecting the entire population, especially children. The authority's technical services department said air monitoring is done in Pt Lisas and Toco. The EMA also said it has been working with the T&T Bureau of Standards with regard to exhaust emissions.