A stench described as being that of burnt animal carcasses has returned to the area between Marsa and Paola in the vicinity of the abattoir.

The nauseating smell was very pronounced yesterday in the area around Paola Hill, just behind Dock 7, but could not be detected near the front gates of the slaughterhouse in Triq Biċċerija.

In past years, residents and the Marsa local council complained of foul smells emanating from the incinerator or the slaughterhouse with the arrival of summer.

Residents and people who work in Paola Hill told this newspaper yesterday the stench had returned and had even become more pronounced over the past few days.

The abattoir in Triq Biċċerija. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Although they did not confirm the source, they said it was similar to that of a few years ago, when it was attributed to the incinerator in Marsa. The residents and the workers admitted they were now used to the smell.

Marsovin CEO Jeremy Cassar said the stench was unbearable and it put off thousands of tourists who visited the company’s cellars.

“It’s been an issue for some 10 years, and I don’t think that you should have to experience this stench anywhere in Malta. The smell is similar to rotting dead animals and has gotten worse recently,” he said.

He noted that, despite complaints over the years, the smell did not seem to be abating.

A businessman whose premises are on the same site complained that nothing had been done for years despite promises. “For the past couple of days it has been unbearable, and we’ve had to keep all the doors and windows closed,” Luke Lyttleton said.

In 2010, Marsa mayor Francis Debono called on the authorities to put an end to the foul smells following complaints by disgruntled residents.

Wasteserv Ltd said the stench was caused by meat that could not be burnt until maintenance works on the incinerator were completed. The following year, when the smell returned, Wasteserv insisted the incinerator at Marsa was working under normal operating conditions.

Contacted yesterday, Mr Debono said he had been alerted to the smell over the weekend, however when he went to the abattoir area, there was no smell that could be attributed to the incinerator.

Wasteserv Ltd said it was investigating the complaints.

Earlier this year, an autoclave was opened in Marsa, and the pressure chamber capable of extracting fat from animal carcasses was expected to reduce dependency on the incinerator and cut down on emissions and odour.