The Labour Party has expressed concern about sea pollution it says is caused by grit blasting work carried out by the Italian company Palumbo.
Labour MP Silvio Parnis said the party welcomed the fact that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority was investigating the pollution of the Grand Harbour but felt the regulator should to take long-term action.
Mr Parnis argued that while Labour was in favour of economic development, this should not be achieved on the back of residents’ health.
Mayors of localities in the area did not report any complaints from residents about the dust associated with grit blasting, even though some in Senglea objected to the noise caused by work late into the night.
Paola and Fgura mayors Dominic Grima and Byron Camilleri said they did not receive any complaints from residents but pointed out that the wind was not headed towards their localities.
Cospicua mayor Joseph Scerri received no complaints either and suggested that this could be because the work was being carried out in dock number six, the one farthest away from the Cottonera.
He said that following meetings with Mepa and Palumbo some three months ago, wind direction was being taken into account by the company when blasting. Mr Scerri said the equipment used had also been changed, reducing noise. Moreover, water was being sprayed to contain the resulting black dust.
Senglea mayor Joe Casha noted that although grit blasting had been going on since Sunday, his council had only received a couple of complaints about noise late at night.