An employee at incinerator facilities in Marsa fell sick and had to be treated at a health clinic, Wasteserv Malta has confirmed amid concerns fumes are making workers ill.

The woman was working at the site that handles all of Malta’s animal and hospital waste when she became unwell earlier this month.

A Wasteserv spokeswoman confirmed the incident but denied claims that at least two employees have had to be treated in hospital during the past weeks after falling ill due to fumes.

Sources say sick leave at the facility is also on the increase and, a number of employees contracted to work for Wasteserv are refusing to work at the incinerator.

The situation at the incineration facility was highlighted by the Opposition’s environment spokesman Jason Azzopardi in a hard hitting statement criticising the government over the running of its waste management facilities. He accused Environment Minister José Herrera of incompetence.

In his reply, Dr Hererra said that the government is focused on improving waste management but did not reply to any of the specific accusations.

Sources said there were cases of hospitalisation due to the strong smells and fumes coming out of the incinerator. They also said that the government agencies responsible, Wasteserv and the Environment and Resources Authority, are aware of the situation and have engaged an expert to help solve the problem.

“All the area around the incinerator facilities is a no-go area due to the unbearable smells coming out,” one trade union member said.

“The problem is that although smell was always an issue, particularly when you are dealing with the incineration of waste, it was never this bad.

“Something is very wrong and employees are now demanding a solution.”

However a spokeswoman for WasteServ Malta said the company “refutes these allegations and assures both the opposition and the general public that Health and Safety issues are treated with utmost importance.”

Currently there are 52 workers at the Thermal Treatment Facility, she said. One of these “felt sick during her normal work day, and went to a clinic for observation.”

A number of workers engaged with a private contractor have informed their employer not to assign them duties at the Marsa plant, sources say.

Almost all the employees required by Wasteserv are currently being hired from a private service provider according to a contract with the government agency.

The company supplies employees to various Wasteserv facilities including Marsa, Marsascala and Maghtab.

Foul smell complaints

Times of Malta is also informed that reports of foul smells have been lodged with the Marsa local council and other authorities, particularly from establishments with offices close to the incinerator.

However the Wasteserv spokeswoman said the odour was “more an element of nuisance rather than being harmful.”

Built in 2007, the incinerator handles all of the island’s abattoir waste, clinical waste, refuse-derived fuel and other waste such as industrial sludge.

An autoclave, a pressure chamber capable of extracting animal fat from carcasses, was added in 2016. It was designed to help helps towards Malta’s sustainable energy strategy.

However one of the problems pinpointed by officials it that this is lately also causing foul smells – a new phenomenon that is making the already problematic situation much worse.

In its statement, the Opposition criticised other areas of waste management specifically referring to faulty machinery at the Sant Antnin Recycling facility in Marsacala and the Maghtab facilities. According to Dr Azzopardi, these problems are leading to the lack of separation of waste and the dumping of garbage without any proper treatment.

Wastserv denied the claims. It said emissions at the Thermal Treatment Facility are treated before being released into the atmosphere.  

At Sant Antnin, it said it is investing in additional components which would enable the enhanced treatment of the separated organic bag, expediting the treatment processes and restricting further the odours being emitted. 

It reiterated the government’s pledge to close down the Sant’ Antnin facility within seven years. Investnment is being made into a new recycling facility at the Malta North in order to improve efficiency. It is also in the process of commissioning a temporary waste separation line at Sant’ Antnin  using a current shed.