We have received multiple reports that hundreds of families living in the whereabouts of Iklin, San Ġwann, Għargħur, Swieqi, Ibraġġ, Birkirkara and Naxxar are getting suffocated in their own homes by toxic fumes from the Bitmac asphalt plant.
During the past few weeks, hundreds of residents have been inhaling suffocating smells of tarmac in their homes, with many feeling physically sick. This problem has been going on for the last few years, despite residents filing reports with ERA (Environment & Resources Authority) for at least 3 years.
ERA is claiming that it has no authority to regulate plants that produce asphalt. However, ERA is forgetting that according to the law, it is the authority competent and responsible to monitor air quality – something that ERA refuses to do seriously.
Instead, ERA is directing residents to the Environmental Health Directorate which is also shrugging off responsibility. According to the law, the directorate can only take action if residents are willing to testify in Court and present evidence of serious illness caused by the plant.
Requests for action to the Health and Environment Ministries have also been ignored.
This is unacceptable. Thousands of residents are being poisoned in their own homes, even while they sleep, as a lot of the works at the plant occur at night.
Bitmac likes to boast about machinery that can produce 350 tonnes of asphalt in an hour, however forgetting that the fumes released into the air cause cancer, respiratory problems and other medical complications.
Bitmac furnishes the Government with asphalt for its projects and enjoys certain protections due to strong interests. We ask: why do the authorities continue dragging their feet on the issue? Perhaps because Bitmac has strong political ties?
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Dħaħen Qattiela mill-Bitmac – Residenti Vvalenati fi Djarhom Stess
Waslulna rapporti li mijiet ta’ familji li jgħixu fl-inħawi tal-Iklin, San Ġwann, il-Għargħur, is-Swieqi, l-Ibraġġ, Birkirkara u n-Naxxar qed jiġu fgati fi djarhom mid-dħaħen tossiċi tal-impjant tal-asfalt tal-Bitmac.
Fil-ġimgħat li għaddew, mijiet ta’ residenti xammew irwejjaħ soffokanti ta’ tarmac fi djarhom u li kawża ta’ hekk ħassewhom fiżikament ħażin. Din il-problema ilha sejra għal dawn l-aħħar snin, u r-residenti ilhom jagħmlu r-rapporti tagħhom mal-ERA (Environment & Resources Authority) għal mill-inqas 3 snin, iżda kollox qed jaqa’ fuq widnejn torox.
L-ERA qed tisħaq li m’għandha l-ebda awtorità li tirregola impjanti li jipproduċu l-asfalt u li m’għandha l-ebda mansjoni fuq is-saħħa pubblika. Iżda l-ERA qed tinsa li skont il-liġijiet ta’ Malta, hija l-awtorità kompetenti u responsabbli biex timmonitorja l-kwalità tal-arja – xi ħaġa li l-ERA qed tirrifjuta li tagħmel bis-serjetà.
Minflok, l-ERA qed tidderieġi lir-residenti għand id-Direttorat tas-Saħħa Ambjentali, li wkoll qed jiċħdu li huma l-awtorità responsabbli. Agħar minn hekk, skont il-liġi d-Direttorat jista’ jieħu azzjoni biss jekk ir-residenti jkunu lesti li jitilgħu jixhdu l-Qorti u jippreżentaw evidenza ta’ mard serju kkawżat mill-impjant.
Talbiet għal azzjoni lill-Ministri tal-Ambjent u tas-Saħħa waqgħu wkoll fuq widnejn torox. Wara li l-ġimgħa l-oħra ġie mistoqsi mistoqsija parlamentari, il-Ministru tas-Saħħa Chris Fearne reġa’ qal li għadhom qed isiru l-“istudji” sabiex jiġi ddeterminat jekk id-dħaħen jippreżentawx xi periklu tanġibbli għas-saħħa.
Dan mhux aċċettabbli. Dan il-ħafna tkaxkir tas-saqajn min-naħa tal-awtoritajiet ifisser li eluf ta’ residenti qed ikomplu jiġu vvalenati fi djarhom stess b’dannu għal saħħithom, ħafna drabi bil-lejl waqt li jkunu reqdin għax ix-xogħlijiet fl-impjant tal-Bitmac isiru billejl.
Il-Bitmac jiftaħru li għandhom makkinarju li kapaċi jipproduċi 350 tunnellata ta’ asfalt jaħraq fis-siegħa. Nesew jgħidu, iżda, li waqt dan il-proċess qed jitfgħu fl-arja dħaħen u kimiċi tossiċi ħafna li jikkawżaw il-kanċer, mard respiratorju u kumplikazzjonijiet serji oħra tas-saħħa.
Huwa inspjegabbli kif attwalment f’pajjiżna ma jeżisti l-ebda qafas leġiżlattiv li jirregola l-operat tal-impjanti tal-asfalt. Dan ifisser li impjanti tal-asfalt jitħallew joperaw kif iridu u mhumiex obbligati bil-liġi li jinstallaw sistemi adegwati ta’ filtrazzjoni jew li jmexxu l-operat tagħhom f’post magħluq sabiex ir-rilaxx tad-dħaħen jiġi limitat.
Il-Bitmac ifornixxu l-asfalt għall-proġetti tal-Gvern, u għalhekk igawdu minn ċerta protezzjoni għax hemm interessi b’saħħithom. Nistaqsu lill-awtoritajiet għalfejn qed ikomplu jkaxkru saqajhom? Forsi għax il-proprjetarji tal-Bitmac għandhom rabtiet politiċi b’saħħithom u huwa għalhekk li jgawdu minn impunità totali b’dannu għas-saħħa ta’ eluf ta’ residenti?
