Fears of contamination of a wheat terminal by a nearby cement silo in Corradino were discussed this evening at a meeting of the House  Environment and Planning Committee, which decided to write to the Environmental Health Directorate to seek clarifications.

Former Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia said that the contamination of grain by heavy metals present in cement would negatively affect the health of the people, particularly of breastfeeding mothers and their babies. He proposed that the matter be discussed at the Health Council.

The matter was brought on the agenda following a request by Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar. FAA spokesperson Astrid Vella presented the members with details of a report by two doctors on the issue of the proximity of the cement silo to the grain silo.

Ms Vella said that the development of the cement silo had been made without a full permit and there was no assurance that that the cement silo was not contaminating the grain terminal, which provide 70 per cent of the bread produced in Malta. She said that according to experts, however high the standards of the cement silo, the risk of fugitive dust remained.

Labour MP Joe Sammut said that the permit for the cement silo had been issued and the proper channel for the discussion was the legal route.

Committee chairman Marlene Farrugia (PL) said that the presentation was being allowed to give members of civil society a chance to voice their concerns. Dr Sammut stood by his objection given that a permit had been issued.

Ms Vella insisted that the development was illegal and yet the entity was still allowed to operate.

Mepa CEO Johan Buttigieg said that the cement silo had an operational permit granted by the Mepa Board, and FAA could have appealed. He said that the Environmental Health Directorate carried out an environmental health assessment and found that the cement silo was safe. It was at the grain terminal where   safety standards were outdated, he said, adding that this, however, was not a Mepa issue.

Dr Farrugia said that the standards of the grain terminal need to be looked into by the competent authority and he appealed to the government to address the issue. The grain terminal needed to upgrade its operations.

Ryan Callus (PN) requested the chairman to formally write to the government to request the Environmental Health Directorate to look urgently into the matter.

Dr Godfrey Farrugia said that it was inconceivable that the cement silo was permitted to operate when it was known that the grain silos were not up to standard. If health failed, all else fails, he said, emphasising that the contamination was particularly sensitive to breastfeeding mothers. He said that he was surprised by the reply by the Environmental Health Directorate and suggested the matter is brought up at the Health Council.

Ms Vella said that even countries with excellent  standards management shied away from such proximity of silos.

Mr Buttiegieg said that while the concerns were valid, the grain terminal was located in the port where a myriad of polluting activities were already in action. He said that the solution was the upgrading of the grain terminal not the cessation of operations.

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