Please refer to the government statement carried on 6 February 2011 that “The Delimara power station will not produce toxic waste”. It is based on my reported claim that the new power station will have to dispose of some of the 30 tonnes of dangerous sodium sulphate waste the power station will produce daily.

My original statement made it clear that while the above can be classified as hazardous waste rather than toxic waste, the same cannot said for the one tonne of sludge that will be produced daily by the power station extension.

That is toxic waste by any criteria and standard, as has been confirmed on various occasions by eminent environmentalists like Prof. E.A. Mallia.

This Delimara waste is certainly toxic, particularly since the daily tonne of HFO sludge cannot be burnt in the piston engines.

In spite of the ‘reassurances’ the government offered in its counter statement that it will abide by EU best practices, my original claim that when last heard Mepa was not going to include the sludge disposal rules in the IPPC permit, was not commented upon at all.

Leo Brincat MP

Shadow Minister for the Environment

ST JULIAN’S