Study had to be published as a whole - Wasteserv

WasteServ has denied there was any delay in publishing the Scott Wilson report on Maghtab and said the study had to be published as a whole because the people deserved to know what the problems and proposed solutions are.

In a statement issued in reply to Alternattiva Demokratika's comments on the report, WasteServ said: "Publishing the report in sections would have been unjust especially to those affected due to the inevitable misinterpretations".

The report identified elevated concentrations of certain heavy metals in waste materials within the core of the uncontrolled landfills. This is to be expected of certain waste types, WasteServ said.

There was, however, no evidence of significantly elevated concentrations of these contaminants in the surface materials covering the waste.

"Levels above the average concentration of lead and phenols on agricultural land around the Maltese Islands have been recorded in some soils around the Maghtab dump but not at levels that substantially exceed Maltese background levels," it said.

Wasteserv said the methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide have been monitored for the last 18 months and concentrations have remained stable since the work conducted by Scott Wilson. Additionally, it said, monitoring of dioxins, PAHs and heavy metals in ambient air has been initiated as recommended by the Scott Wilson report.

Methane is only being produced in small quantities at Maghtab, Wasteserv said. "It is not a toxic gas but is a potential explosive hazard if allowed to build up in confined areas.

Volatile organic compounds (including benzene) concentrations in certain locations on site do exceed recognised exposure limits. For this reason, a health and safety procedure has been devised for those working on site. Modelling indicates that these compounds do not pose a risk off-site. Certainly the possible contribution from Maghtab would be far less than that from other sources of pollution, such as traffic."

Wasteserv said that AD's statement regarding asbestos, where they alleged that "the soil contains asbestos", create unwarranted alarm.

"Asbestos was not identified in waste materials on the landfills or in soils on adjacent land. Notwithstanding this, it has been assumed that there will be asbestos within the waste mass and, therefore, precautions have been adopted in the manner in which wastes are to be moved during the aerial emissions control works."

Wasteserv said dioxins were detected in soils at levels higher than the Maltese average concentrations but nevertheless within EU levels normal for agricultural soils. "These concentrations are likely to be a result of airborne emissions and deposition and are likely to accumulate further unless there is prompt intervention to reduce aerial emissions. Contrary to what the (AD) statement states, there are no EU limits set for aerial concentrations of dioxins.

The likely concentrations of dioxins in the air and near the site are, however, of concern as uncontrolled emissions will lead to environmental accumulation and eventually entry into the food chain at levels of concern," it said.

Wasteserv said that arsenic has not been detected in any of the boreholes and an elevated concentration of arsenic was identified in a small quantity of condensate collected from one well within the waste mass.

"This liquid is considered to arise as a result of condensation of some of the warmer fluids within the waste and is considered to be indicative of 'leachate' if any of this was to develop within the waste," it said.

Wasteserv said that contrary to what is being implied in AD's statement, the levels of heavy metals in the boreholes off-site are well within the EU limits for drinking water.

"Notwithstanding this, it must be emphasised that the water in the vicinity of the site lies outside the water protection zone and is, therefore, not abstracted for drinking," it said.

Wasteserv said that the Scott Wilson report, in its entirety, may be obtained or viewed at the offices of WasteServ Malta Ltd in Santa Venera.