Consultants defend landfill sites studies

The company that carried out the environment impact assessment of the proposed temporary landfills near Mnajdra yesterday defended its exercise.

Keith Owen, planning manager of SLR Consulting Ltd, said that although it was up to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) to decide whether to issue the development permits, there was nothing in the EIA which should prevent the development.

SLR Consulting Ltd is an independent international environmental consultancy that works extensively for national and local government and major corporations in the UK, Europe and North America. It was appointed to prepare the designs and EIA of the landfills after a public call for tenders.

The EIA submitted to Mepa last week came in for harsh criticism in parliament by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando. But SLR director Ian Roberts said at a press conference the EIA was undertaken to the same high standards as in the UK or elsewhere in Europe.

However, it was the role of Mepa, not the consultant undertaking the EIA, to determine whether the proposed interim landfill facility should be permitted, he said. In taking such decisions, a range of factors had to be considered, with the results of the EIA being only one element.

"We believe that the work we have produced will enable Mepa to make an informed decision on whether to permit or refuse the application.

"What is clear is that existing landfill practices that have been undertaken for many years at Maghtab cannot continue.

"The people of Malta deserve an upgraded waste management infrastructure in order to move away from the uncontrolled and potentially polluting current practices."

Mr Roberts said it was not SLR's job to make recommendations or to decide whether the chosen sites were acceptable or not. However, in its EIA, SLR did not identify any overriding impact that should prevent the interim landfills from happening, Mr Owen said.

Asked whether excavations would be required, Mr Roberts said that although excavations would not be necessary there had to be a degree of movement of certain rocks. However, no blasting would be required. Detailed vibration, dust and noise studies had been carried out, he said.

Archaeological experts who had been involved in the studies, he said, included an international expert on world heritage sites.

Obviously referring to comments by Dr Pullicino Orlando, Mr Roberts said it was completely untrue that the EIA was just one-third ready and covered only cultural heritage issues. The document, he said was over 300 pages long and included 60 drawings detailing the results of the various assessments.

There were 16 separate chapters to the document including 10 that covered specific potential impacts including assessment of noise, dust, vibration and traffic on adjacent receptors including residential properties.

He said that contrary to reports, a full hydrogeological assessment, including a ground water risk assessment fully compliant to EU directives, formed part of the EIA.

With regard to the socio-economic study, SLR submitted details of its proposed authors to Mepa weeks ago and they had been in constant consultation to have the specialists approved. All socio-economic experts were now approved, the last one only approved last week.

The work, however, had been carried out and it only required the approval or otherwise of the experts.

Although many social and economic aspects were covered in detail in the EIA, an addendum to confirm this work was to be presented in January.

Mr Roberts said that the comments regarding SLR being under investigation by UK local authorities were completely untrue and showed a clear lack of knowledge of the waste management sector in the UK.

SLR was a major independent environmental consultancy, and a specialist in the waste management sector and it did not manage any waste facilities, he said.

It was retained on a regular basis by the national government in the UK and elsewhere, numerous local authorities, the UK Environment Agency and similar agencies elsewhere in Europe on the basis of its proven track record, independent advice and professional standing, Mr Roberts said.