Residents complain as mayor calls for solution to abattoir stench

Disgruntled residents loudly voiced their complaints as Marsa mayor Francis Debono called on the authorities to shoulder their responsibilities and put a end to the foul smells emanating from the abattoir in Prince Albert Street.

Standing between the two buildings housing the slaughterhouse and its incineration plant, he told a press conference on Wednesday that the stench emanating from the facility had once again reached unbearable levels. This had recently spurred him to report the matter to the police, who established that the odour was coming from the organic waste piling up while the incinerator underwent maintenance.

As he continued, explaining that a senior technical officer had told the police the incinerator should already have been up and running again by last week, he was interrupted by passersbys who shouted out that it was shameful they had to tolerate the foul smell.

Pausing until silence was restored, Mr Debono, flanked by councillors, questioned whether the reason behind the stench was really maintenance works or an effort to keep costs down by not running the incinerator continuously. As he spoke, however, there were no smells. When this was pointed out to him, he said it was obvious that the abattoir's management had known about the press conference.

The residents who had gathered around the mayor continued to voice their anger. "Our houses are our prisons," shouted one woman. "We're under arrest in our homes." "We can't even open our windows or turn on our air conditioners," joined another. "Who do they think they're taking for a ride here? We're not idiots, we know that the meat isn't being frozen," said a man.

Another woman walked up to the mayor and told him her husband had tried to barge his way into the incineration plant before he was stopped by a security guard.

About a year ago, abattoir workers had expressed concern about foul smells coming from freezers when the incinerator was undergoing similar works.

Reacting to the mayor's comments, WasteServ confirmed that the foul smell was caused by meat which could not be incinerated until maintenance works were completed.

WasteServ said the meat was being frozen in temporary cold stores until permanent ones were installed and added that the odour was harmless, albeit inconvenient.

Assuring residents that the situation was only temporary, it said it would meanwhile do all it could to reduce the stench.