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News | Sunday, 16 May 2010

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Poligas: MEPA warns of risk posed by fireworks factory

Plant was approved in 2005 without environment impact assessment. Now MEPA says fireworks factory poses risk to gas plant


The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is recognising the risks posed by the proximity of the Poligas plant to a fireworks factory, five years after MEPA approved the plant without even conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment.
The plant, which produces the highly flammable acetylene gas, was built 200 metres away from a fireworks factory.
A public consultation is currently taking place over the issue of an IPPC permit (integrated pollution prevention and control).
In August 2009, MEPA’s IPPC committee expressed its concern that no professional emergency plan had been submitted by Poligas, whose owner is construction magnate Charles Polidano. “This is urgently required given that the plant which produces acetylene is situated near a fireworks factory,” the committee waned.
After the emergency plan was duly submitted by Poligas, the same committee called on the developers to ensure that in case of an evacuation, the Civil Protection Department, the Police and Hospital are always informed “even in the case of a small emergency.”
Poligas was also asked to appoint an emergency team of trained and certified personnel, to respond to any emergency once the alarm is raised and to ensure easy access for fire engines in case of an accident.
The emergency plan is still being reviewed by MEPA, which five years after approving the plant is now considering the IPPC permit.
The Poligas plant was inaugurated on New Year’s Day 2006 by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. Despite not being validated by an EIA, the project was approved by MEPA in May 2005.
While an EIA had been conducted on the relocation of the Multigas plant in Kirkop, no such assessment was ever carried out on the Poligas plant.
Asked about the discrepancy, a MEPA spokesperson had told MaltaToday the decision not to require an EIA for Poligas was simply based on floor space. “The floor area is 654m2 and does not qualify for an EIA.”
Current EIA regulations state that industrial development with a gross floor space of more than 3,000m2 require an EIA.
But the same regulations state that an EIA should be conducted for plants whose manufacturing process uses chemical conversion.

Back than a MEPA spokesperson said the decision to waive an EIA for the Poligas plant was because it did not involve the storage of “combustible” gases.

 


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