Fact-check Malta: Viral satellite image of a desert-like Malta was not taken this year
The image shows Malta in October 2022
Environment
Fact-check Malta: Are Ficus trees in Mosta ‘alien’ or ‘invasive’?
Mosta council’s application to ERA described trees as alien. The law says otherwise
Wind turbines have not been built on burnt land in Evia
October 11, 2023 The development of wind farms is often a topic for debate in Greece, with misleading information about the issue frequently spreading on social networks. The unfounded narrative that areas are deliberately burned down so that wind turbines can be installed is widespread. As fires swept through parts of Greece in 2023, social …
Wind turbines have not been built on burnt land in Evia Read More »
Fact-check Malta: Do e-scooters reduce traffic congestion?
E-scooter companies say this is the case, but many are sceptical
Fact-check Malta: How has energy infrastructure coped around the Mediterranean?
Malta’s infrastructure has been brought to its knees. Have other countries fared better?
Fact-check Malta: Was this Gudja garden inaugurated twice?
Project Green inaugurated a garden last week. However, it had already been inaugurated five years ago.
Fact-check Malta: Why were mature trees uprooted in Żabbar?
Works in Triq il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa prompted uproar. What actually happened?
Magnetic African dust is not proof of chemtrails
April 17, 2023 Contrary to unfounded claims circulating on social media, the magnetic qualities of African dust are not proof of the existence of chemtrails. Dust from the Sahara desert, which is often detected in Greece and elsewhere in southern European, naturally contains minerals with magnetic qualities. But these magnetic properties are not proof that …
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Rainforest Alliance seal signifies sustainability standards, not genetically-modified food
February 13, 2023 A circular seal showing a green frog under the words “Rainforest Alliance” indicates that a food product comes from sources that have been certified as meeting sustainable agricultural and supply chain standards. The symbol does not indicate that a product’s raw materials are “transgenic” — i.e. genetically altered — as social media …
Product codes starting with the number eight do not identify genetically modified produce
Fruit and vegetables labelled with a five-digit product code starting with “8” have not been genetically modified, contrary to what has been claimed in posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook since December. While it is true that the prefix “8” was initially intended to label transgenic produce, the International Federation of Produce Standards (IFPS) – which is responsible for establishing Price Look Up (PLU) codes for fruit and vegetables – has never used it in this way. Product codes beginning with 8 will be used to designate new products in the near future. Under Greek law, products containing genetically modified organisms – or “GMOs” – must be clearly labelled as such at the point of sale.
