Marsascala waste recycling plant saga (1)

Too much ado has been made by George Pullicino and WasteServ over the monitoring of air quality around the Sant’Antnin valley where the controversial recycling plant is being housed.

This was one of the conditions laid down by Mepa after the continuous pressure by the committee against the plant: that residents should be part of this monitoring board and also be consulted prior to its setting up.

Through incessant demands by the committee, the waste management strategy was changed and instead of dumping all the refuse generated on the island, 250,000 tonnes per annum, in Marsascala, one-third – 71,000 tonnes per annum – will be processed at the Sant’Antnin plant. Two more plants are earmarked; one in Gozo and a much larger one in Għallis costing €45 million that will probably take the heaviest chunk of waste.

What’s farcical and somewhat bemusing is that in the initial site selection exercise being compared to Sant’ Antnin site, among other excuses the Għallis site was listed as being far too small. The prolonged emphasis by the Prime Minister and Resources Minister George Pullicino over the decision taken by the council to appoint an expert to monitor air quality seems rather a coincidence since it was approved half heartedly only a week ago due to lack of consultation.

Now that the plant is fully operational, receiving 35,000 tonnes of organic waste and 36,000 tonnes of dry recyclables, such monitoring was envisaged to start immediately with the blessing of this obnoxious industry a stone’s throw away from residential areas.

The mayor of Marsascala should have made it clear with Minister Pullicino and WasteServ that this monitoring unit under no circumstances should serve as a screen to alienate residents from the real and basic issue, that of the socio-economic studies which incorporate a health study, study on pests such as rodents and insects and above all noise emitting from the plant during the night. These important studies stipulated by Mepa in the terms of reference were never carried out for they were “too expensive”, as stated in public by WasteServ’s foreign consultant. Residents are still waiting for personal guarantees from Mr Pullicino and WasteServ that the plant would not create odours at the boundaries and against any possible future adverse health effects on residents.

The minister should know very well the reason why the Marsascala local council has, since 2005, filed legal proceedings in the Maltese law courts and appeals before the Mepa board, for the European Commission does not have any powers over member states regarding location of such plants and public consultation; it limits itself to the European Community law.

The parody by the Resources Minister, accompanying young students around the plant, is a complete circus. Shabbiness could be seen everywhere. Residents have reacted strongly and turned their backs to Mr Pullicino’s invitation.