Malta’s 11 asphalt plants should be regulated by the environment authorities, according to the ombudsman, who looked into the matter after Iklin residents complained about “toxic fumes” emitted from a tarmac factory for years.

In a final opinion, the ombudsman said that, even though EU directives do not require asphalt plants to be environmentally regulated, this did not imply this should be the way forward in the local context where “everything and everyone is close to each other”.

It recommended that the Environment and Resources Authority – which has been claiming it has no power over the matter – draw up regulations for such plants.

In October, Times of Malta reported how San Ġwann and Iklin residents raised complaints about a toxic smell of tarmac that infiltrated closed windows at night from the Bitmac asphalt plant in Tal-Balal Road. Swieqi residents have now joined in.

One Swieqi resident took footage of the visible particles in the air near the Ibraġ parish church and another resident spoke about the “pungent smell in the air”.

Complaints and calls for action amid concerns over air quality have been made on and off for three years but they have fallen on deaf ears, residents said.

They took the matter to the ombudsman where they claimed that, each time the plant produced a batch of asphalt, residents were suffocated by toxic fumes that could damage their health. They said ERA insisted it had no power to investigate or enforce and the superintendent of public health told them it could not act unless it was proven that the plant was leading to serious illness.

The commissioner for environment and planning at the ombudsman’s office, Alan Saliba, and health commissioner Ray Galea noted that “tarmac plants should be properly regulated by controlling the type and upkeep of the combustion equipment, the type and quality of the bitumen used and the period of operation of the plan with respect to weather conditions”. They welcomed ERA’s initiative to increase monitoring stations and carry out long-term monitoring.

I hope that the government takes concrete steps for a practicable solution that protects the health and safety of the residents- Iklin mayor

Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat said that, some weeks ago, he smelt the stench and thought there were roadworks in the area. He then realised it was the factory.  He said some residents even complained of black particles in their pools.

The council was collaborating with the Iklin council and they were actively working on trying to address the situation.

Iklin mayor Dorian Sciberras said: “I hope that the government takes concrete steps for a practicable solution that protects the health and safety of the residents – residents have a right to live and enjoy their property.”

Questions sent to Bitmac in October, and resent yesterday, remained unanswered. According to the Bitmac website, the installation of a new Benninghoven asphalt plant in 2018 allowed the company to increase its capacity to produce up to 350 tons of hot asphalt per hour.