Allegations by the Labour Party that the Gozo General Hospital is illegally disposing of hazardous waste have been strenuously denied by both the Gozo Ministry and Wasteserv.

PL spokesman Leo Brincat claimed that over the past days, the Gozo Hospital was “caught” disposing and transporting hazardous waste, without the necessary permits.

He asked who would be shouldering political responsibility for it, when the Government and its entities were supposed to lead by example.

Mr Brincat also urged the planning authority to shed light on what happened.

In a joint statement, the Gozo Ministry and Wasteserv said the allegation of illegal behaviour was unfounded and incorrect. All clinical waste from the hospital was taken to an incinerator in line with the law, they insisted.

They added transporting this type of waste required a permit from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, known as the consignment note permit. A copy has to be sent to Wasteserv.

The Ministry denied there was any transportation of hazardous waste in the past days. However, according to the statement, in 2011 Wasteserv transported waste after the date stipulated by the consignment note permit. The planning authority fined all the entities involved.

In another case, a private contractor carried asbestos without the permit and there was unauthorised use of a storage facility. Mepa intervened and the contractor had to pay all the fines. Wasteserv had nothing to do with this case.