Update 2: Blood in Albertown
Internal investigation being held
(Adds WSC' and ministry statements)
An extensive amount of blood seeping out of the slaughterhouse in Marsa has led the council to take up the issue with the media in hope that it would be tackled.
Mayor Francis Debono asked where were the health and environment authorities and how come no one seemed to be responsible for what was happening.
He warned that should this situation be repeated, the council would take all steps according to law to safeguard the health and quality of life of its residents, as well as workers in Albertown.
WSC'S REACTION
The Water Services Corporation referred to the seepage as a "sewage system overflow", which, it said, was caused by a blockage due to illegal dumping of materials in the drainage system.
It said its workers were on site as soon as they were alerted at 11:10 a.m. and at 3 p.m. were still underway to clear the sewer system. The area was to be washed and disinfected upon completion of works.
The WSC appealed to the public not to dump unauthorised materials such as oils, fats, rags, and straw into the sewer system. The public was also encouraged to report abuse.
MINISTRY'S REACTION
An internal investigation is being held at the slaughterhouse to establish was led to the blocking of the sewage system.
The Rural Affairs Ministry said that during works at Marsa this morning, an overflow was reported from the drainage pit between Troubridge and il-Biccerija streets. The overflow included a liquid which originated from the slaughterhouse. The WSC was informed and workers were on site within minutes to remove material that was blocking the drainage system.
Immediate action was taken to reduce the volume of water going through the system and the roads were washed.
The ministry said that the problem was caused by waste thrown in the system illegally.
But the slaughterhouse filtered water to ensure that no solid waste ended in the system. Solid waste from the slaughterhouse was taken to the incinerator but the water used for the washing of the plant went into the drainage system.
So an internal investigation was being carried out with the help of WSC technical staff to establish the facts.
The slaughterhouse apologised for the inconvenience caused, the ministry said.
65 Comments
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Iam Person
Nov 18th 2009, 05:53
Omg its like prototype or resident evil!
Steve Mizzi
Nov 13th 2009, 17:33
@C Muscat - If you really hate cows, pigs and sheep you should become a vegetarian. If everyone stopped eating them they would become extinct and I can assure you that it would be the environmentalists themselves baying for their blood due to the fact that livestock produce more CO2 emmisions then vehicles, for further info please click on the following link: http://www.naturalnews.com/021602_global_warming_emissions_CO2_emissions.html
Christian Sciberras
Nov 13th 2009, 11:18
@C Muscat - You call it hypocrasy, I call it a delicious plate with a juicy (and well cooked) steak.
As to how it came to be, we're not talking about 10 year olds, we're talking about adults.
I'm sure that however simple common people may be, they would understand how the meat they eat came to be, instead of simply appearing on their plate magically.
Besides, why do we have to change what nature/God made us? It is in the human body to eat meat (of course there are exceptions, with all due respect).
Back to the topic, draining blood (or anything else) in the human waste drainage system is simply bad. If it is legal, it should be brought down. The drainage system is simply not meant for this.
Having blood mixed with fecal matter only produces "activated" sludge, a very harmfull combination of biological agents with a huge array of deseases.
Joseph Ellul - Sydney
Nov 13th 2009, 04:17
Malta must be in the neolithic age. Up to 3000 years ago the blood of slauthered animals was returned to the fields as a thank you to the mother earth for supplying the animal killed with feed. In our modern days we are still doing this by recycling the remains of these prized animals and selling it as blood and bone fertilizer. If in Malta you dump this animal blood and other remains into the sewer, than you are committing one of the biggest sins against the earth. If you do not recycle, you are doomed to fail. Blood is a rich fertilizer that does not contaminate. The earth needs it and wants it .
Mark-Anthony Fenech
Nov 12th 2009, 22:26
@ C Muscat: Actually I wouldn't be too queasy if I had to work in an abattoir and yes I don't bother that much as to the whole process from cow to steak, pig to pork etc
C Muscat
Nov 12th 2009, 21:47
to all those who eat meat:
you eat meat because you don't actually bother to think how it actually ends up on your plates. how can people proclaim to love cats and dogs but then feel free to harm such animals, this is pure hypocrisy!
E. Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2009, 17:31
An "Island of Excellence by 2015"
Mind you, this is not the only place which is filthy. I am fed up of hearing the authorities say "Littering has to stop".
We haven 't even started yet. But it is not prohibited to dream, of course.
T.gauci
Nov 12th 2009, 16:31
that's Marsa for you
E.Schembri
Nov 12th 2009, 13:01
All this talk against meat eaters from our self proclaimed saints is nonsense!
From the beginning carnivores killed their prey for meat, this is how God made them! It is not murder!...it is called the FOOD CHAIN!
What is sick and selfish is the killing (or torture) of animals for sport, fun or entertainment. That is what must be eliminated. A healthy diet is having average amounts of meat, vegetables and fruit.
However, the point to make here is that this illegal dumping in the sewage system, in our roads and country side must stop. The authorities need to come down like a ton of bricks for anyone caught dumping illegally. Maybe we can finally respect our environment and make it a better place for our children!
Melanie Wilberforce
Nov 12th 2009, 12:24
There's an abattoir near where I live here in the UK and if people put things into the sewer system that they shouldn't this happens here too. It's not a problem that means you're in a third world country just that the system is being mistreated. After the investigation maybe fines will be given, maybe a court case will be brought against those responsible, until then why speculate or blame the politicians or the people who are dealing with the problem?
Joe E Galea
Nov 12th 2009, 12:14
Is that Zimbabwe?...ooh Zimbabwe fil-Mediterran!!
Daryl Curmi
Nov 12th 2009, 11:48
Pastazata ux...
J. Borg
Nov 12th 2009, 11:25
@ Meat Eaters who never actually directly killed an animal
When demanding that Veggies RESPECT your decision to
-intensively breed animals,
-overfeeding them with at best greater amounts of fodder or worse chemicals,
- further degregate the environment - deforrestation & water scarcity
- and slaughter them just to satisfy your taste buds....
I trust you should FIRST start by asking the sentinent beings involved to "respect" your decision.
S Marmara
Nov 12th 2009, 10:06
I agree with Paul Barett that constant building effects effects the sewage system and sometimes just cant cope especially when it rains heavily however I don't see how ppl can judge a country as heading 3rd world or calling for a ministers head in such a case. I think the fact that it is reported in the paper and has attracted som many comments shows that this is not the norm. The necessary action has been taken and we can all see the effects of dumping unauthorised materials. Sometimes it seems that its someppls hobby to look through every article to see how they can criticize their country and government
F J Brincat
Nov 12th 2009, 08:15
No wonder I hardly see any vegetation around Malta. You vegetarians keep eating all the greenery. Stop shoving your lifestyle down other peoples' throats. Guess what? If we wanted to eat more greens we could, we just don't want to.
C.R. Taliana
Nov 12th 2009, 06:48
@To all vegetarians and vegans. I love meat just like I love fruit and vegetables! If you are so sure that being vegeterian is much better than why don't you make a quick research for a French film called NOTRE FILS J'ACCUSE and then I assure that you won't be so sure that you're eating so healthily!
J.Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2009, 00:12
"People" get a life. Albert Town was never, isn't and never will be a tourist attraction. All this fuss of third world country, shame, disgust, blabla simply because a sewage blockage caused a slaughterhouse overflow. Had a same blockage occured up your block we would have seen floating what you all flush out every day !
John Micallef
Nov 11th 2009, 23:51
Minister Dalli, let me suggest you put the person responsible for this mess to manage the newcrematorium. LOL.
ppace
Nov 11th 2009, 22:46
guys.. you are going off topic. people should comment on that video clip which in my opinion should be aired on the Euronews 'No Comment' section. Health inspectors should investigate this case NOW and not in a week's time when everything will go back to 'normal' !
Mark Zerafa
Nov 11th 2009, 22:29
*FACT* Meat is associated with heart disease and cancer; *FACT* Vegetarian eating is not at all boring, if you take the trouble to experiment a bit. *FACT* The meat industry is environmentally extremely damaging, and the source of huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, especially methane. Just recently, the United Nations declared that going veggie is amongst the best things we can do to save our planet. We need to think beyond satisfying our taste buds, and adopt more responsible life styles. Going veggie is not as difficult as it might seem. It's good for the animals. It's good for ourselves. It's good for our planet. GO VEGGIE!
Edward Zammit
Nov 11th 2009, 22:01
God gave me Canines as well as Molars to chew AND tear meat to eat those vegetarians if they wish to refrain ( and obviously do) from eating meat by all means do so, you have every right and us meat eaters respect that. But to call us "disrespectful" just because we have a different opinion is quite frankly, DISGUSTING !!
I for myself love nothing more than fried rabbit or lamb baked with potatoes, ok when they are alive they are quite cute and adorable. but ALAS that is the food chain and if I'm not eating them someone else will definitely do, so i prefer to, yes, indulge my taste buds with the taste of that tender meat.
If I were to think in the same way you do, I would definitely not touch veggies because it's not pleasant to pull a living organism from it's roots or pull it from it's branch just so that I could enjoy my salad !!!!!
RESPECT meat eaters the same way they respect you vegetarians !!
j grech
Nov 11th 2009, 21:57
suzanne mills please dont make the maltese feel more ashamed than what they are already feeling ,i too am from the uk and have been comming and now live here with my maltese husband for 38 yrs, england is not all beautiful and wonderful we have our faults as well, yes there are people in malta who have filthy habits but the uk have as well also our goverment and health inspectors in the uk are just as lazy and pass the buck when it comes to this type of incident, this is the only time i have known this to happen but lessons are only learnt through mistakes or have you never slipped up at your place of work yet? if so you still have a lot of learning to do, 3rd world take a look around the east end of london if you want 3rd world not a lot has changed since i was born there over 50yrs ago the uk has beauty but so does malta and every country has its incidents including malta&uk so if your that disgusted take a look and a walk in the sewage sh-t that overflows uk drains when floods happen there
Martin Frendo
Nov 11th 2009, 21:57
shallow thinking indeed - vegetarians are healthier and our kitchen is lively and full if ideas. it is the easy way out ,of adopting to meat- mind not evolved, and it has nothing to do with incisors. i believe in a good balanced diet - but definitly the way meat is produced worldwide - makes one really wonder what we are feeding our systems. of course same argument applies on GM produce. thus, best way is grow own crops ( find a piece of land soil :-) ) and return back to basis. at least keeps most of us busy toiling the land. watch out for 2012 :-0 folks
Joseph Borg
Nov 11th 2009, 21:30
@stefan engelbert.
From where did you get your facts? You should be teaching home economics in our schools.
Just for your info. I am a vegetarian athlete, and I can assure you that I am not living a boring life. I get bored when I start thinking what the animals go through just to satisfy your 'needs'.
stefan engelbert
Nov 11th 2009, 21:06
@Mario Desira: Avoiding meat does NOT mean you live longer. It is just that live becomes so boring that it feels longer....
stefan engelbert
Nov 11th 2009, 21:03
@adrian aquilina: Avoiding meat is not in our nature!
P Attard
Nov 11th 2009, 20:59
Government is always to blame. Always. I am anxious to know the minister or parliamentary secretary who stuffed material that blocked the drainage system near the abattoir. The criminal and / or the irresponsible who cause so much damage, including the one who has damaged the drainage system at the abattoir or nearby are innocent. And a Susan Mills is disgusted because of this criminal incident. She's really lucky everything is ok in her country. Not like the rest of the world, including Malta.
Galea. L
Nov 11th 2009, 20:46
J Martinelli Are you implying that the authorities are not in charge and exercising effective control?
J Martinelli
Nov 11th 2009, 20:02
Why is it that the 'authorities' are always blamed but those who caused the problem seem to be spared?
And, Suzanne Mills - accidents happen anywhere including the country you come from. If visiting, I hardly doubt you spend much time around the slaughterhouse, anyway! Thank God it is not a radioactive leak, a terrorist attack or a bank meltdown such as what happened in many countries one of which, I suspect, was yours and very rapidly racing towards third world country status! Why you readily noticed and took the trouble to write about a relatively minor problem but not become aware of the many improvements in the last five years (during your absence) is beyond me.
Mark-Anthony Fenech
Nov 11th 2009, 20:01
Eating just veg is plain boring.. We have incisors for a reason I think otherwise we would have been herbivores..
@ vegetarians/vegans: I have no shame in eating meat and eating meat is what I will continue to do..
Gerard Cassar
Nov 11th 2009, 19:54
Usual authorities' reaction: report abuses.
Spying by the general public! is that that the authorities know how to best tackle abuses.
Are we becoming a population of spies. There is surely a better way than ask amateurs spies to report neighbours
Martin Ellul
Nov 11th 2009, 19:40
State of the art.................xi hnizrija ma' l-art!
Veru tal-misthija; issa hafna nkjesti us-soltu xenati u jibqa kollox l-istess.
Evviva l-Ewropa!
JB Caruana
Nov 11th 2009, 18:31
'But the slaughterhouse filtered water to ensure that no solid waste ended in the system. ' And on the otherhand the video shows animal parts that came out of the sewage system.......and they want to investigate...take their time...maybe it is then forgotten!!!
adrian aquilina
Nov 11th 2009, 18:17
disgusting...we need more information made public about vegetarianism so more people change and shamefull and inhumane practices are stopped.malta is the only country i have lived or visited that does not have vegetarian restaurants or a large selection in all supermarkets..apart from the welfare of animals it is much more healthy...as for the blood seepage,we are turning into a third world country.the p.n. need to change all high level ministers starting with the p.m.
A. Grech
Nov 11th 2009, 18:08
They say that Malta joined the E.U., but when are we going to become E.U. real members?
Franco Farrugia
Nov 11th 2009, 17:46
This is disgusting, absolutely disgusting. Not only is it a health hazard and unattracive. But most of all, it is a sign of lack of respect towards the slaughtered animals. Is that how we repay these animals for providing us with food to eat (for those who eat meat)? It is a lack of respect towards animals and also lack of consideration and sensitivity. What is happening at our slaughterhouse?
J Borg: I agree with you that filming should take place inside the slaughterhouse, but i don't have your intention. The idea is to ensure that all animals there are slaughtered with due dignity.
We are losing every iota of dignity in this country!
S.Farrugia
Nov 11th 2009, 17:46
Jaqqq! Disgusting! I wonder what goes on in this slaughterhouse. What a bad impression we're giving to all those who live abroad.
J.Tonna
Nov 11th 2009, 17:39
At least it is not as horrific as the title made me think.
Let's hope that whoever was responsible will be punished accordingly.
Mario Borg
Nov 11th 2009, 17:30
A gruesome reminder of our greedy and desensitised society.
alex grech
Nov 11th 2009, 17:21
This is not the only place where one can be ashamed with the filt of our island try Gzira near BOV or try Manoel Island every Monday or so one dumps at least four large garbage bags on the "pavement" right under the huge Midi bilboard what a shame and further up horse Sh.... near the slip way ,this in full view of our beloved yacthing people who come over to our lovely island ,and who is reponsible you tell me .......shame on us
Paul Barrett
Nov 11th 2009, 17:11
It is quite a reasonable bet that the sewage pipes are both old and the wrong size for the area in question.
The constant building "programme" adds to the strain on utilities that are not originally designed to take such extra loads; this is especially relevant when the weather over the last 48 hours has delivered even more strain despite the fact that rainwater is not actually meant to be diverted into the domestic sewage system.
When authorising more and more floors to be added to existing buildings as well as high rise buildings, the authorities really must take into account not just parking in the immediate area but also the extra strain on both roads, water and electricity supply and in this case, sewage disposal for the whole area right through to the sewage farm(s).
A.AGIUS
Nov 11th 2009, 17:06
Do you think that this may be a sabotage act, i.e. an attempt to throw a bad light on the entity concerned & as a ripple effect on the particular administration without bothering if the international readers get a wrong impression or otherwise????
One should not be glad to wash his dirty linen in blood, sorry in public.
Such pun is not for fun!!
If we need to our bread 2 earn
We have lots to learn to avoid going to infern!!
Ron Saliba
Nov 11th 2009, 17:04
I believe that this has only happened once and this due to a fault in the drainage system.
People blaming the government for this should really get a life.
And Suzanna, your comment is pointless, cos you re imagining that this is happening in every street, of every town, every day!
If everyone reads carefully, without jumping to silly conclusions, everyone can see that the WSC took immediate action.
Now what happens INSIDE the slaughterhouse is a different topic, and far more interesting than this.
Joe Micallef
Nov 11th 2009, 17:04
Shame shame shame shame and then again shame
All bloggers get a life and try to be objective if you're able to.......if despite the effort you still don't manage, at least try to be more creative in lambasting the government. You've become so predictable!
Joseph Masini
Nov 11th 2009, 16:59
Apart from being disgusting, it's totally unhygienic & unsafe for the neighboring citizens. Surely images like these that resemble more a third world country won't attract foreigners to come for a visit! Please take action immediately to ensure the welfare of the citizens.
laurence schembri
Nov 11th 2009, 16:59
Malta an EU country in the 21st Century. Shame.
mike pace
Nov 11th 2009, 16:57
The Mayor should take the issue to European Courts to be tackle as soon as possible its a heath hazard for the nearby local residents
A report statement needs to be issued by the health dept for answers and questions to the public
John A. Portelli
Nov 11th 2009, 16:53
From Farm to Fork...
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091028/local/strategy-on-landfills-is-five-years-late
A little reminder of a recent article on this very same news paper.
R.Bezzina
Nov 11th 2009, 16:50
At least this serves as a reminder to all meat eaters about the bloodshed thousands of animals go through in order to satisfy their taste buds. At least the blood is now visible where as before everybody could eat meat as if it grows on trees Therefore, may we not only not see these scenes anymore in the street but also not in slaughterhouses.
Rachel Attard
Nov 11th 2009, 16:48
@Marsa Mayor
Send this horrible image to Brussels, please
Joann Bugeja
Nov 11th 2009, 16:47
@ Ms.Mills....I bet your country is perfect eh !!!
Joann Bugeja
Nov 11th 2009, 16:45
The way you are portraying it guys is like the end of the world ! I'm not saying that this is not shameful...but shame on those who are literally dumping illegal waste in the sewage system causing such a havoc ...not the government !!!
MSciberras
Nov 11th 2009, 16:43
@suzanne mills
Wow what alot of conclusions derived from one incident and one photo..... British aren't you ms Mills? Bdw if you want to see a third world country.................check out Merseyside, Burnley, Glasgow..............
Mario Desira
Nov 11th 2009, 16:38
My first sympathies lie with the innocent animals murdered every day............
a Maltese Auschuitz and Belsen for animals.............
Even medical science now acknowledges that the way to health is five portions of fruit and veg.............
Eating death will only lead to disease and death.
And by the way, the meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to Global Warming, as any decent internet search will reveal........by killing animals for food we are also killing ourselves and our planet.
D.zahra
Nov 11th 2009, 16:38
Well no one washed let alone disenfected the roads when there was that sewage mega leak in Naxxar... until a few weeks ago before the rain started one could still notice brownish matter on the sides and middle strip of the road near Lija cemetry! That was shameful!
Mario Borg
Nov 11th 2009, 16:33
A gruesome reminder of our greedy and desensitised society.
suzanne mills
Nov 11th 2009, 16:20
This is utterly disgusting....has malta down graded to this level????????????????.....cant remember seeing malta in this state in my last visit five years ago....am sure its turning into a third world country,if this is how affairs are been run over there......shameful site anyway.....
Joseph Schembri
Nov 11th 2009, 16:16
The shame should be on anyone who eats any of the products that come out of the slaughterhouse. This is just a tiny glimpse into the horror inside.
C. Lia
Nov 11th 2009, 16:14
Like in horror movies or maybe this town is crying blood to protest, rightly, about the state it was left in by authorities.
S. KING
Nov 11th 2009, 16:10
Horrific, is the only word that comes to mind!
John Micallef
Nov 11th 2009, 16:02
Sapete cos'e la vergogna ragazzi!!??
J. Borg
Nov 11th 2009, 16:02
It would be better if the cameras "filter" their way INSIDE the slaughterhouse......
We can then evaluate what actually happens in there and rethink whether we really want to bite into the steak/ham that is the cow/pig.....
and then to really top it up.......a visit at the respective "farms"
michael fenech
Nov 11th 2009, 16:01
We can join the EU over and over, unless the authorities start taking there jobs seriously and crack down on all these inefficacies we will always be a third world country.
SHAME,SHAME ON THE AUTHORITIES. My sympathies to the people of MARSA.
Darren J. Galea
Nov 11th 2009, 15:59
This is typical of the inner workings of this expired administration. It's nigh-on impossible to pin responsibility down to one person; this is the way they work (or as the case may be, DON'T work). They are the ultimate personification of "Resting on one's laurels" - I would be surprised to find that they did any work at all for the benefit of the ENTIRE nation (i.e. not the LP voters only yes LP you read right) in the last 10 years.
John Camilleri
Nov 11th 2009, 15:53
Picture looks some some Third World Country................Reminds me more of NIcaragua than Malta..........and believe me, I have been to both places!