Two incidents – most probably arson attacks – were reported at the Maghtab landfill over the past two months.
One Sunday afternoon, on 26 June, fire destroyed a mass of shredded tyres. The police are still investigating the incident, but it is thought that the fire was caused deliberately. The culprit or culprits are as yet unknown.
Last Thursday, there was a second attack. This time, 5,000 mattresses that were being stored close to the entrance of the landfill ready for shredding were set on fire too. The fire – a column of thick, black smoke that could be seen from all over Malta – raged for hours before it could be brought under control. Again, the police believe that it was not a spontaneous blaze but the perpetrators are still at large.
People living in the area have said that they have seen several fires at the landfill over the years, but they had not witnessed anything similar to what happened on Thursday.
Sources have told this newspaper that it is likely that the person/s involved has/have an axe to grind. The fact that two attempts were made within a short span of time added to suspicions that they were, in fact, arson attacks rather than accidental fires.
Another fire was also reported at the Qortin landfill in Gozo the following day.
There are several issues at stake here. First of all, what is the message intended by the people who committed such actions? Investigators must quickly identify the perpetrators before more harm could be caused.
Last Thursday, there was a great risk that the fire could have caused toxic fumes that, given the windy conditions, could have been detrimental to the health of people living in the vicinity of the landfill. We are told that this did not happen, but we may not be so lucky next time round.
The police authorities should do their utmost to bring the offenders to book. While it is impossible to say at this stage whether the two incidents are connected, every effort should be made to find who the culprits are before other attempts are made.
To avoid such a risk, security at the landfill should also be beefed up. The parts of Maghtab that are still accessible in spite of the fact that the landfill is not used anymore – waste is being dumped at Ta’ Zwejra, which is close to Maghtab – should be closed up if this is possible.
The incidents at Maghtab were not isolated. In fact, Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino, who was on site last Thursday, mentioned other attacks against the waste management system that have taken place over the past few weeks. Most notably, he spoke about the blaze at the Sant’Antnin waste recycling plant – when a batch of material for recycling that contained highly flammable chemicals caught fire when being processed. Other, smaller, incidents were reported such as the setting on fire of bring-in sites.
His words – the minister described the incidents as “senseless attacks” – are taken to mean that there seems to be a pattern. Waste management seems to be the target of some individuals. And this is another reason why the offenders should be caught and taught a lesson. They should not be allowed to cause more trouble.