Noxious smells return to Hexagon House
Photo: Jason Borg
Planning authority employees at Hexagon House in Marsa were again subjected to noxious smells and had even to be asked to work from home for a couple of hours.
Investigations by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority indicate the smells came from a new waste oil treatment plant nearby where tests were being carried out by Waste Oils, a company within the Falzon Group.
The incident occurred last week when a number of employees complained about the strong smell and were allowed to go and work from home until the odours subsided, which took about two hours. Some employees worked through without reporting any problems, a Mepa spokesman said.
Hexagon House had to be evacuated last year after foul smells enveloped the building and one female staff member was retained in hospital for observation.
Investigations had revealed Waste Oils was illegally dumping contaminated water in the sewage system, which the company, however, denied.
This time, investigations established that the source of the foul smells was pilot tests carried out by Waste Oils on its new waste oil treatment plant, as well as several improvements being made to their facility as required by their permit, a Mepa spokesman said. Last February, the company was granted a six-month environmental permit to store, collect and separate waste oils.
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Charles Sammut
Nov 12th 2010, 16:45
MEPA has a chance to do something right for a change, It should condemn the building and send all the employees home. They will not be missed. No doubt that the building has a hex on it. After all those bad rulings and the non intervention while looking the other way as sand was being dumped at Dwejra and while construction debris was being carted and dumped at Qala Gozo it will be plain and simple addition by subtraction as far as Malta goes. Then let people who really care about the environment run the Agency.
l fenech
Nov 12th 2010, 14:54
Partuha mat-trab iswed.
C. Borg
Nov 12th 2010, 14:33
J.R. Ewing does it again.
Sean Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 14:32
ironic....... dont you think?!
Alexia Farrugia
Nov 12th 2010, 13:39
Can someone tell us where the Marsa residents will be evacuated?
Charles Sammut NY USA
Nov 12th 2010, 13:00
So the building that houses MEPA has a lingering pungent smell emanating from it and the source has confounded the authorities!!!
You got to be kidding. You mean the country that is so religious has not figured this out yet? Of course it has to be that MEPA has even got the gods angry and now it's payback time. After so many decisions and non decisions that hurt the environment even the Man Upstairs has had enough. It's nothing more than bad Karma and no human intervention will change this unpleasant situation unless MEPA changed its ways and ruled for a cleaner and better environment instead of ruling for the money hungry speculators at the detriment of the environment which it is supposed to protect. Payback time indeed!!
R. Formosa
Nov 12th 2010, 12:26
I hope that the authorities take into consideration this situation when considering this application:
Case Number: PA/03352/09
Location of development: Site At, Tat-Tabib, L-Iklin
Description of works: Bioremediation Plant and Ancillary building including site office, to be constructed below street level.
Applicant: Carmelo Falzon
Case Category: Outside Development Zone/Urban Conservation Area
m.ellul
Nov 12th 2010, 12:23
there are also noxious smells in Hal Tarxien Road , near tal-barrani lights. Can Someone investigate if these smells are harmful to the health of people passing from there. I can smell it even with my car windows and ventilation closed !!!!
Mark Vella
Nov 12th 2010, 12:02
X'buzz, l'amerka ghandom il pentagon, malta ghandna il hexagon! Issa nibnu triangle ghawdex u xejn ma jkun jonqosna!
Manuel Micallef
Nov 12th 2010, 11:24
That is the smell of corruption coming out!!!!
carmelo azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 11:08
Qawl Malti li jigini f mohhi huwwa "il-bakkaljaw min xarbu kielu" il-problema hi li min hu resident f'dawk l-inhawi ma jistax jitlaq min hemm bhal ma kellom ic-cansli jghamlu tal-MEPA. Imma ikollu jissaporti dak kollu li johrog mindan l-impjant, li qatt ma missu inghata permess biex jopera min hemm.
T Camilleri
Nov 12th 2010, 10:47
Everything stinks under the PN regime
Ray Buttigieg
Nov 12th 2010, 10:43
onlyinmalta.com. They can not even provide a safe working environment for their own employees and they want to regulate malta's environment.....SHAME SHAME SHAME