There were 50 instances of full or partial employee evacuations from the planning authority’s offices in Marsa since September 2008 because of noxious fumes that plague the area, according to the union of professional staff.

The problem of foul smells at the Menqa in Marsa reappeared over the past few days affecting Hexagon House, the office block belonging to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

According to the Union of Mepa Professional Workers, on Monday several employees were certified by doctors from the Floriana health centre as suffering from side effects caused by ongoing exposure to noxious odours.

Representatives from the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, the Environmental Health Department and the Water Services Corporation were called to Hexagon House to investigate the situation.

Unfortunately, no solution to the problem had been found to date despite reassurances by management who knew about the problem long before Mepa bought the building, the union complained.

As a result, the union yesterday directed all members to vacate the building and report to Mepa’s St Francis Ravelin offices in Floriana at the first sign of discomfort.

According to records, there had been no fewer than 50 instances when all or part of the staff had to be evacuated from the premises since September 2008, the union said.

On Monday, Labour environment spokesman Leo Brincat said it was ironic that Hexagon House included the offices of Mepa’s environment section, which had issued an environment permit to a nearby waste oils plant, identified in the past as one of the sources of the foul smell.