Milk producers (Koperattiva Produtturi tal-Halib - KPH) on Tuesday highlighted what they said was an "unacceptable threat" they face by having premises close to a scrapyard which last week was the scene of a huge fire.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, KPH said it initiated a full and urgent assessment of the situation. "Our teams acted swiftly to secure the area, removed all potential dangers, and began repairing the equipment that sustained damage as a result of the incident. All raw and feed materials that may have been affected were carefully isolated and are being prepared for disposal in accordance with all legal, environmental, and veterinary standards and the necessary precautionary measures have been taken to ensure the highest level of feed safety," KPH said.
Furthermore, sampling for testing was carried out by the competent authorities as well as by KPH. At the same time, arrangements are already underway to replenish the required raw materials, both from our off-site storage facilities as well as through accelerated sourcing from our suppliers. These measures aim to ensure that operations resume promptly and that our supply to the farming community remains uninterrupted.
This event underscores the reality that KPH has been forced to live with for many years. Operating next to a scrapyard has exposed us to ongoing serious danger. This danger has been repeatedly brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, including via judicial acts. We have long warned that this situation presents an unacceptable threat on several fronts: it endangers the health and safety of our employees, places the continuity of our operations under constant pressure, and poses a significant risk to Malta's food security.
As one of the country's principal feed producers, supplying feed for cattle and other farm animals, serious damage to our facility would have had far-reaching consequences for the local agricultural sector. Yet to date, the relevant competent authorities seem to be beating around the bush when claiming that there are no health and safety concerns with the operator of the scrapyard allowed to trade freely.
Last Friday's incident corroborates, if ever there was any need, what KPH has long stated that the danger posed by the adjacent scrapyard needs to be addressed before tragedy strikes. KPH sincerely hopes that enforcement measures will now be taken to ensure that whoever is at fault suffers the consequences of his acts or omissions.
The KPH expressed its sincere gratitude to the Civil Protection Department (CPD), the Malta Police Force, Transport Malta, LESA, and all the individuals and teams who responded with speed, professionalism, and exceptional coordination. Their timely actions prevented what could have been a disaster of a national scale. "A tragedy that could have severely impacted our operations and by extension the livestock sector and national food security was avoided," KPH said.
"Their dedication has allowed us to focus on restoring operations, protecting the farming sector, and continuing to advocate for a safer environment for our employees, our operations, and Malta's food supply chain," KPH said.