A stench that has bothered Paola residents for years, possibly emanating from the Marsa Thermal Treatment Facility, has returned to the locality.

Earlier this year Times of Malta reported how residents and business owners in Triq L-Irvellijiet are having to resort to staying indoors due to a “sickening” smell that wafts over their street.

The problem has persisted for years and recently started to get worse, they had said.

On Thursday the Paola local council said that earlier this year the Environment and Resources Authority had located the origin of the stench at the Marsa Thermal Treatment Facility.

The facility is mainly used to incinerate animal and mixed food waste, although other forms of waste, from healthcare to chemical waste, are also disposed of at the facility.

Back in March the council was told that broken equipment at the facility, which had resulted in the stench, was being fixed.

However, the stench returned in the past few days, the council said, adding that it will be piling pressure on the authorities to solve the problem once and for all. 

The council is worried about the impact of the stench on the residents' health.