Air samplers at Maghtab to gauge hazardous gases

WasteServ Malta Ltd has installed two high volume air samplers to monitor hazardous gases in the Maghtab dump and its surroundings.

At a press conference at the entrance of the landfill yesterday morning, Environment Minister George Pullicino said WasteServ was following the Scott Wilson report's suggestions to monitor hazardous emissions before and during the intervention on the landfill.

Published two weeks ago, the Scott Wilson report, which deals with the rehabilitation of Maghtab, Qortin and Wied Fulija landfills, outlined the need to install steel wells to extract gases forming inside the landfills. The report also states that parts of it, especially high slopes, may subside, so these have to be strengthened before any other remedy can be applied.

Another intervention will entail covering the landfill with compost, sludge and globigerina limestone before indigenous vegetation may be planted and the site can start being used for recreation.

"Even before the rehabilitation starts in September, the site will be monitored to ensure that gas emissions are stable and controlled," Mr Pullicino said.

Henriette Debono, WasteServ's hazardous waste officer, said the equipment will be used to sample dust, airborne particles and gases.

"Sampling will be conducted on a monthly basis," Ms Debono said, adding that air may be pumped through the samplers for between 24 hours and seven days.

The equipment is made up of two filtering systems, one made up of microfibres to collect airborne particles and a second filter which captures vapours and gases.

The equipment will be moved to different areas to get a good sample of the whole footprint and the samples will be tested in local and foreign laboratories.

Sampling would continue when the rehabilitation starts in order to monitor emissions during the intervention.

After the conference, journalists toured the highest points of the Maghtab rise where waste dumping was halted as of April 2004.

Amid rubble, black plastic bags, pieces of wood and all other sorts of rubbish, "smoke" could be clearly seen rising from patches at random intervals, especially in the area closer to the top of the landfill.

As the two vans carrying reporters drove uphill towards the highest plain of the landfill, a journalist noticed that some crevices and holes on the roadside were signed with a number.

Christopher Ciantar, WasteServ's strategy and development executive, explained that the numbered holes were "rodent stations". In order to have an idea of the rat population in the landfill, food for rats was being left regularly at these numbered points.

At the very top were mounds of organic waste which Dr Ciantar said would turn into compost, to be used on the north side of the landfill which, he said, would be the first to be rehabilitated.