A grain terminal situated near a new cement silo at Laboratory Wharf has taken legal action in a bid to stop a consignment of cement being transferred from a ship, citing health concerns.
Kordin Grain Terminals Limited (KGT) claimed the proximity of its open-air grain conveyor to the cement silo, operated by UC Limited, posed a public health hazard in view of possible contamination.
It has asked the courts for an injunction to stop UC Limited from transferring the cement into its silo.
Yesterday, the transfer of cement proceeded throughout the day.
According to a report commissioned by the grain company, the cement poses a serious health risk. The report recommended that the silo not be allowed to operate so close to the grain terminal.
Doctors said inhalation of cement fumes by workers could result in cancer and other long-term effects. Moreover, there was a risk of ingestion of toxic materials through contamination of food.
A spokesman for environmental lobby group Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Tonio Anastasi, said the group was concerned about possible health hazards because of the proximity of the cement silo to the open-air conveyor belt carrying grain from ships berthed in the Grand Harbour to the terminal.
“There are serious issues of contamination to the grain conveyor belt around four metres away. This could have serious repercussions on health for us through the bread and other products as well as for cattle eating fodder,” he told Times of Malta.
However, UC Ltd. director Etienne Carabott insists the silo was built with the latest, pneumatic technology which was completely enclosed and therefore safe.
He said the silo was “the most advanced on the island... far exceeding EU standards”.
This could have serious repercussions on health for us through the bread and other products
On another front, UC is also the target of legal action by the planning authority, which is trying to stop it from operating because it does not have an environmental permit to do so.
However, on Wednesday evening the cement firm managed to clinch a temporary court injunction against Mepa action.
Mr Justice Chetcuti will today hear submissions by the legal representatives of both the cement company and the planning authority.
Asked how his company was operating without this permit, Mr Carabott said that once they had permission build, it also meant it could operate.
“When you apply to build a house and Mepa gives you the go-ahead, you do not need to submit another permit to go live in it when it’s ready. This was our lawyer’s advice and we got our first shipment yesterday,” he said.
He explained that his company was given the green light to develop the silo – on which it spent €3 million – through a letter sent by Ian Stafrace, former Mepa CEO, in October 2012, informing them that no planning permit was required for the construction of the cement silo at Laboratory Wharf since it was considered as acceptable as part of port operations.
A year later, his successor, Johann Buttigieg, wrote to the company to clarify that the clearance did not exempt it from obtaining an environmental permit for the operation of the silo.
A Mepa spokesman said the company filed an environment permit application last October and the authority was in the process of reviewing it.
In a separate court case, Kordin is also trying to stop the company from operating.
KGT’s lawyer, Adrian Delia, will also ask the court to be admitted as a party in the case between UC and Mepa.