Malta, makeshift waste landfills
Parliamentary Questions
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3321/03
Submission: Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission
(31 October 2003)
Subject: Makeshift landfills for waste disposal in Malta
In order to comply with the EU Directive on the sanitary landfilling of waste (1999/31/EC)(1)), On July 8, 2003, the government of Malta announced that two quarries would be temporarily used for the disposal of household and organic waste until a landfill is constructed in 2005 at Tal-Ghallis. The choice of these two quarries sparked strong reactions, as they are located just a few hundred meters from the Megalithic Temples of Mnajdra and Hagar Qim, which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage, and also because this area has long been designated as a world heritage site.
Could the Commission clarify whether it was informed by the government of Malta regarding the selection of the two temporary sites, and whether it considers that this temporary solution is in line with the present and future commitment of member states to protect and enhance Europe’s cultural heritage?