The Church’s Environment Commission has called for a study to determine the maximum number of fireworks factories that can be located in Malta.

The commission also suggested that potential sites for fireworks factories should be identified beforehand and that no further development should take place in the area if the pyrotechnic facility is given the green light.

In a statement the commission yesterday welcomed the consultation document issued by the planning authority on fireworks factories and called for clear design guidelines on such facilities.

In particular it cautioned against the proposal of using trees as a form of landscaping, arguing that these would be prone to attract lightning with potential disastrous consequences.

Another commission proposal is to introduce a capping on the purchase of perchlorate, so as to curb the practice of producing exaggerated amounts of petards by some fireworks factories as this could possibly compromise safety.