Decision rests with national authorities - EU commission

The European Union's Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom has informed Labour leader Alfred Sant that the decision over the location of landfills rested with the national authorities.

The authorities, however, must meet the general requirements given in annex 1 of the EU's landfill directive, she added in her letter to Dr Sant dated October 6 and released by the office of the Leader of the Opposition yesterday.

The directive is intended to prevent or reduce the adverse effects of landfill waste on the environment, in particular on surface water, ground water, soil, air and human health.

Annex 1 deals with such factors as location, leachate management, protection of soil and water, gas control, the control of nuisances and hazards such as odour, dust, wind-blown materials, noise, traffic and fires, as well as stability of the waste and barriers to the landfill.

Ms Wallstrom was replying to a letter from Dr Sant, dated August 13, in which he had requested her to intervene with the Maltese authorities over the government's plans to site two temporary landfills near the prehistoric temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra.

He had also asked her to consider postponing the closing down of the Maghtab landfill - which has to be done by the time Malta joins the EU in May - in order to allow time for the preparation of an alternative planned engineered landfill.

Dr Sant had argued that the government's decision was in breach of the directive (1999/31/EC) that stresses the need for the protection of nature and cultural patrimony when selecting an area suitable for landfill use.

In her reply, Ms Wallstrom noted that Malta had given a commitment to meet the provisions of the directive from May 1 next year.

"In the run-up to this date, the Commission will be monitoring Malta's progress with transposition and implementation of the landfill directive and the commitments given during negotiations," she wrote.

The Commission will publish a comprehensive monitoring report on Malta's progress next month.

Once Malta becomes a member of the EU, the Commission will ensure compliance with the directive in the same way it does with all the other member states.

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition against the proposed landfills. The petition was presented to parliament by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando on Monday.