12th February 2004

Temple landfills saga
Government's proposal ignores alternatives; would destroy temples and violates the Structure Plan

Experts 'forget‚' impact of waste trucks emissions on temples

The plans to site two municipal waste landfills near the World Heritage sites of Mnajdra and Hagar Qim should be rejected, and indeed should never have been allowed to get so far, Friends of the Earth Malta said today.
The proposal should be refused by MEPA because it violates several Structure Plan policies, which the MEPA board is required to follow, including those polices dealing with our countryside and heritage.

It is clearly stated in the Structure Plan that: "Applications for planning permission for development affecting ancient monuments and important archaeological areas and sites, including areas and sites having such potential, will normally be refused if there is an overriding case for preservation." The need to preserve Mnajdra and Hagar Qim is unquestionable.

The proposal should be rejected because approving it could signify the beginning of the end of the Neolithic temples in the vicinity due to air pollution - suffice to say that the acidic pollution of 660 waste truck trips to and from the site daily will damage the limestone irreparably. In addition the temples will be affected by acidic gases from hundreds of daily truck trips with inert waste, several compactor machines working continuously at the dump, as well as from flaring and leakage of landfill gas

The proposal should be rejected because the dumping of mixed waste, including toxic waste, would desecrate the most important archaeological area in the Maltese Islands, and obviously endanger tourism.
The proposal should furthermore be rejected because the Environment Impact Assessment prepared by the experts is incomplete and does not tackle what it should have, according to the Terms of Reference set out by MEPA.

Alternatives have not been properly studied as MEPA has asked them to be - while they are known to exist.
Friends of the Earth Malta has set out its objections to the proposed landfills and the full version is being attached to this message.