From E. A. Mallia

The letter headed “Much ado about thermal treatment” (TMIS, 15 March) is a classic piece of official humbug, the sort dished out regularly by “communications officers” of every stripe.

The subject this time is the state of play of the Marsa incinerator. This was originally intended to deal with abattoir waste. Then, after it was found to be somewhat larger than necessary for this task, it developed a vocation for treating medical waste. As a result, it underwent what was touted as a highly successful upgrading.

During the actual operation — the commissioning phase, of course – matters have not proved so rosy. The conditions of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) permit were not being observed. The incinerator website carried the result of a few measurements made in October 2008; these did not cover all the IPPC permit parameters. When this deficiency was pointed out, it took some days for an explanation to surface — the missing items had been “overlooked” and they were duly added to the list.

Then came reports of the state-of-the-art device frequently seen belching black smoke, rumours that burn temperatures were running at values well above the design level of 800oC and (correct) allegations that the emission information on the incinerator web site was last updated in October 2008.

Out came the smooth flow of “official” reaction, more in sorrow than in anger, of course. So much ado about so little, and a lot of huffing and puffing about the rare cloud of black smoke. There was an extended “explanation” for the smoke. “Rome was not built in a day, you know.” True enough; but large parts of it were incinerated in a couple of days! “We are keeping “Rome” very well informed on the performance of the incinerator” — to which the citizen can interject that Germany, Nazzareno Vassallo and Dr Lawrence Gonzi — but not we citizens — are also well informed on the emissions from the flaring of Maghtab’s landfill gases. “Why, the emissions information for December and January ‘have just been received (where from, the Domus Aurea perhaps?) and have been put on the website’.”

Meanwhile, in the wider world, a PN MEP candidate has come up with some legal device that will “guarantee” the citizens’ rights to environmental information under the Aarhus Convention, rights the citizen has had, and which the government has regularly tried to undermine, ever since we signed the convention.

In the case of the Marsa incinerator, there are conditions in the IPPC permit that allow local councils to ask Mepa to set up an air quality monitoring station to determine the effects of incinerator operation. Come to think of it, this could provide an effective course of action for the three councils — Zejtun, Birzebbuga and Marsaxlokk — likely to be affected by the proposed Delimara incinerator. Get Mepa to put up a station now, to determine the health benefits from the present power station and to be in a position to see all the improvements in air quality the new incinerator will bring.

E. A. Mallia,

ATTARD