Marsa residents demand action over stench from Enemalta's oil storage tanks

Marsa residents have filed a judicial protest over the chemical and gassy stench they say emanates from Enemalta's oil storage tanks .

Marsa mayor Francis Debono filed the protest on behalf of the residents against the planning authority, claiming it failed to take serious consideration of the complaints about the inconvenience and health risks they were exposed to. The judicial protest was also filed against the government. Residents and employees were suffering from asthma and respiratory-related problems be-cause of the unbearable odour that lingered in the area known as Spencer Hill, the council said.

The problem has been around for a number of years and even workers in the area have complained. But although the Malta Environment and Planning Authority had made Enemalta install special filters in 2000, when the council first complained, the stench remains.

In fact, the protest comes two months after Mepa's own employees had to be evacuated after high levels of hydrogen sulfide leaked into their building, Hexagon House, in the same area.

The council said Mepa had even insisted there was nothing wrong in the area after an on-site inspection was carried out in 2006. But the council continued to receive complaints and, in 2008, after the Office of the Prime Minister was roped in, it was concluded that the bad odours were coming from the oil recycling facility and the council said it was told by the authority that the situation was being taken care of.

In its protest, the council called on the Prime Minister and Mepa to take the required action to safeguard the health of the residents and the workers.