Even materials commonly found at home or work can be dangerous, says Oliver Fenech, PT Matic Environmental Services Limited general manager.
What potential hazards do certain materials and conditions present in home and work environments?
Most people automatically associate chemicals with scientists in laboratories, but chemicals are also found in many of the products we use at work and home and can be extremely harmful if not properly handled and disposed of.
Cleaning products, paints and thinners, oils and ink toners can all have a damaging effect on human health and the environment. Another common example is asbestos which is carcinogenic but which due to its extensive use in the past, is still present in various locations.
How can hazardous materials such as lead and asbestos be safely disposed of?
Asbestos and asbestos-containing materials are extremely hazardous and can cause serious lung diseases including cancer. We ensure that asbestos is handled by certified technicians following which we carry out a complete decontamination of the area and proper disposal in line with European regulations.
Asbestos containing materials are disposed of in authorised asbestos landfills where the material is deposited back to where it came from, that is, underground. No such facilities exist in Malta so all the asbestos we handle is exported for proper disposal at authorised facilities in Europe.
Can waste also present potential dangers?
Most forms of waste can be dangerous to human health and the environment if left unattended or not handled properly. Hazardous wastes are of a greater concern and need to be dealt with greater care.
Cleaning products, paints and thinners, oils and ink toners can all have a damaging effect
Hazardous wastes are usually toxic by-products of a manufacturing activity, construction, automotive garages, laboratories, hospitals, and other industries. The waste may be in liquid, solid, or sludge form and can contain chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, dangerous pathogens, or other toxins.
What does the decontamination of an area involve?
During all site interventions, we decontaminate the surroundings to ensure that we have removed the waste itself and any contamination subjected to the surrounding areas. Depending on the situation we vacuum and clean surfaces to ensure all contamination is removed. When dealing with contaminated soils we scrape upper layers and dispose of it as hazardous waste.
All interventions are carried out in tandem with extensive testing and monitoring programmes to determine the initial degree of contamination and ensure full decontamination and site clearance at the end of works.
What products and services do you offer to ensure safe home and work environments?
PT Matic Environmental Services Limited forms part of the Alberta Group and is a specialist supplier of a comprehensive range of environmental services.
These range from the proper handling and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste to environmental testing, consultancy and the supply of related equipment. We are a MEPA-authorised waste broker and we take full responsibility for the proper management of the waste collected from our clients and we are legally responsible for its proper handling and disposal.
We offer tailor-made solutions to our clients depending on the waste being handled and on the degree of contamination in the area.
What quality standards and certification do you adhere to when offering these services?
For the export and treatment of waste we abide by the EC Regulation 1013 of 2006, better known as the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Waste. Furthermore we have our own quality management system to ensure that all our processes are of the required quality and that while customer satisfaction is achieved we continue to improve as an organisation.