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MT 5 June 2016

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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 JUNE 2016 9 JAMES DEBONO AN investigation carried out by the Planning Authority to deter- mine whether hazardous waste at the Palumbo shipyards had been illegally covered by a layer of con- crete in 2012 has been concluded. But more than 21 months after enforcement officers collected samples from the site, neither the Planning Authority nor the Envi- ronment Resources Authority are in a position to reveal the results of the investigation. The PA and ERA are in discus- sions "to determine the most appropriate actions to be taken following the investigations," a spokesperson for the PA said. On his part Environment Re- sources Authority chairperson Victor Axiak insisted that "it would not be opportune to dis- close the results of any reports and tests carried out, at this stage". Axiak also confirmed that the two authorities are discussing "what would be the most appro- priate and effective actions to be taken following the investigations". In September 2014 the authority said in a statement it had started investigating the Palumbo site af- ter it received a tip off that quan- tities of grit blasting material were buried in the concrete foundations. From initial investigations it results that grit-blasting waste, which is generated by Palumbo's operations, had been used in the foundations of the yard and was buried under the concrete floor- ing. In December 2014 three months after the investigation commenced, a planning authority spokesperson told MaltaToday that it had re- ceived a laboratory report on the material collected from the site. Up until July 2015 investigations were still on going. "The authority is carrying out its investigations using professional specialists and laboratory services", the spokes- person said. MaltaToday is informed that the major issue is to determine wheth- er the waste was deposited in 2012, when the area from where the samples were taken was cemented, or before Palumbo took over op- erations. Palumbo has denied dumping any grit from its operations, add- ing that grit blasting has been used for the past 70 years. According to the company the area from where MEPA officers took their samples was previ- ously used as a grit blasting and spraying section. The company claims that the area was covered in concrete to create more space for boat storage. But in 2015, both father and son Antonio and Raffaele Palumbo were indicted by a Messina court for having carried out the illegal dumping of shipping waste at their Italian shipyards. They had been placed under house arrest in 2013 when investigations com- menced. News Palumbo toxic waste investigation concluded, action promised Drug bust, 25 arrested POLICE arrested 25 people, all Maltese, during a series of drug busts across the island on Friday night. The police said in a statement that the people, whose ages range from 18 and 41, were found in pos- session of ecstasy, cannabis resin and parts of a cannabis plant. Some of them were found with large quantities of drugs, which the police believe they had intended to sell. The Palumbo shipyards, top, are owned by Raffaele and Antonio Palumbo, below, who were already placed under house arrest in Italy over illegal dumping of shipping waste

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