Sewage discharge control discussed
F.O.I. Environment Working Group chairman Godwin C. Micallef welcomed Dr John Mangion, director of water resources at the Malta Resources Authority, and Water Services Corporation top officials Joe Curmi and Paula Grech Bonnici to the FOI offices last...
F.O.I. Environment Working Group chairman Godwin C. Micallef welcomed Dr John Mangion, director of water resources at the Malta Resources Authority, and Water Services Corporation top officials Joe Curmi and Paula Grech Bonnici to the FOI offices last Tuesday.
The discussion focused mainly on Legal Notice 378 of 2005, which deals with Sewage Discharge Controls. FOI officials and representatives clarified the implications of this legislation to their respective production processes.
The FOI is concerned about the blanket discharge prohibitions imposed in Article 3, Paragraph 4, of this Legal Notice - this make it almost impossible for industry or other business operators to conform to this legislation, particularly in locations where the salinity levels in water from the mains is already very high.
The official side undertook to review the Article's wording.
Among other points raised at the meeting were the apparent lack of locally based laboratories that could issue the OECD 209 certification demanded by LN 378 Art. 3 (3), and aspects surrounding the issue of official discharge permits.
Mr Micallef was accompanied by Daniela Cauchi and Jonathan Scerri of Actavis Ltd, Peter Christianson from The General Soft Drinks Co Ltd, and FOI administration manager John B. Scicluna.