Incinerator 'not to blame' for black dust

Wasteserv has contradicted Enemalta Corporation and ruled out the abattoir incinerator as the source of the controversial dust found in the south of the island.

The national waste management operator said: "The amount of dust actually emitted (from the incinerator) is in fact close to negligible and well within the levels allowed by the EU... There is absolutely no correlation between the emission recorded and the incidence (of black dust)".

Wasteserv was reacting to Enemalta's list of possible sources behind the black dust, which included traffic, ships, bakers and industrial boilers, while practically ruling out the Marsa power station.

The black dust phenomenon has plagued residents in Fgura and neighbouring areas for years yet nobody has yet been found responsible.

An expert report in 2000 concluded that emissions from the Marsa power station were "likely to blame". The Malta Environment and Planning Authority, however, has said that report was inconclusive because the results were not compared to the fly ash emitted by the power station.