Maghtab and Ta' Zwejra landfills

During the parliamentary sitting of May 5, I brought up the issue regarding the temporary landfill or so-called storage area for waste at Ta' Zwejra, which is now ever so closer to people's residences.

WasteServ Malta issued a statement (The Times, May 11) in reply to some of my queries. The answers given not only raised more questions but, inadvertently, many of the issues I had raised were left unanswered while other parts of the reply had nothing to do with the points I had mentioned.

The first point raised by WasteServ was regarding "gases from the disused Maghtab dump... eliminating dangerous emissions". Is it true that when the gases are flared and the temperature is not high enough not all the gases are eliminated? Is it true that when the flow of gases is slow, the sensors do not charge the flare and this results in raw gases in the air, some of which are toxic? If this is true, what action is being taken by WasteServ?

Is it true that the Maghtab landfill has to be restructured before any work can start? Is it true that work cannot start before at least another two years so that the landfill cools off from the present temperature of 300°C? How bad is the contamination situation at the dump?

An environment impact assessment (EIA) is of great importance, not only as the EIA regulation 2001 and Legal Notice 204 of 2001 so request but because this project is likely to have significant and/or social effects.

WasteServ then dealt with the precautions taken so that leakages from the temporary dump do not end up in the aquifer. I would like to thank WasteServ for the information I already knew and in fact this issue was not raised during my speech in Parliament. I had spoken about leakages from the old Maghtab landfill, especially after rainfall, which on reaching the outside of the membrane of the temporary dump are deviated further downwards straight into the aquifer. This influx of contaminants would then seep outwards to the sea and also inland. What steps have been taken so that this does not happen, especially due to the fact that there is not going to be only one temporary dump?

The third issue raised by WasteServ Malta was that "rigorous control on the type of waste" was being conducted and assured everyone "that there would be absolute control on what was being deposited at this facility". Is it not time to stop dumping animal parts and waste from the abattoir in the temporary storage dump? Is this dumping in line with the EU regulations?

WasteServ committed itself that after three years in operation the waste is going to be "retrieved or treated". Can WasteServ state how the waste is going to be retrieved or treated or has it not decided what to do next?

Finally, WasteServ insisted that "the temporary facility did not require a development permit because it was situated within the confines of Maghtab". To set the record straight, Ta' Zwejra is next to Maghtab. Moreover, the works being carried out are covered by development application PA4252/03. If a development permit was not required why was such an application necessary? Since the development application was issued only a draft EIA has been submitted. In the meantime, works have commenced and no enforcement has been issued in spite of the fact that the application and the EIA have not been processed and approved by Mepa; hence to date both are still pending!

In the meantime the residents of Naxxar, Maghtab, Salina and Bahar ic-Caghaq, St Paul's Bay, Burmarrad, Madliena, Pembroke, Gharghur and Mosta continue to suffer the consequences of the Maghtab landfill and the temporary dumps at Ta' Zwejra. These residents have had enough. Some of these areas have a high incidence of respiratory problems in children. Flowery language and the compilation of voluminous reports do not solve the problems.

Dr Farrugia is the Labour Party's spokesman on health.