local news

Confirmed: Brain, heart and spine birth defects linked to landfills
Over 50,000 Maltese people threatened

By Kurt Sansone

An eminent study carried out in a number of European countries and published in The Lancet concludes that there is a higher risk of birth defects in babies whose mothers live close to landfill sites that handle hazardous chemical wastes.

The study, known as the ‘Eurohazcon Study’ (Dolk et al), reveals that ‘residence within 3km of a landfill site is associated with a significantly raised risk of congenital anomaly.’

Increased risks were detected for brain and spine defects, as well as malformations in the heart.

No similar study has ever been conducted in Malta in relation to the Maghtab dump and its effects on nearby residents. A 3km radius around Maghtab will include the localities of Gharghur, parts of l-Iklin, Naxxar, St Paul’s Bay and parts of Mosta, San Gwann, Swieqi and Pembroke - comprising a total population of around 60,000 (1995 Census) people. Almost half of these are women.

Asked by MaltaToday, the Public Health Department said that it has no plans to carry out a health impact assessment study on Maghtab in the near future.

THE MAGHTAB dump is a cock-tail of domestic, construction and industrial waste making it a toxic nightmare. The uncontrolled dumping at Maghtab goes against a directive adopted by the EU in 1991 on hazardous waste. Directive 91/689/EEC explicitly states that hazardous waste should not be mixed with other types of waste.

Among the types of hazardous wastes listed in the EU directive, one can find hospital and clinical wastes, pharmaceuticals, medi-cines, wood preservatives, sol-vents, oil and water emulsions, varnishes, dyes, paints, resins, glues, photographic chemicals and much more. In Malta, most of this waste finds itself buried in Maghtab.

The directive also requires EU member states to keep records of the quantities and types of haz- ardous waste discharged in land-fills.

People who live near landfill sites may be exposed to chemicals released into the air, water or soil. Wind also carries gases or chemi-cals beyond the site’s boundaries. This is more so in Maghtab, where no effective measures are taken to cap the landfill and burning is uncontrolled.

On the other hand, the leaching of substances into the ground can contaminate both surface and underground water.

Similar studies conducted in the USA on pregnancy outcomes among women who live near land-fill sites have confirmed increased risks of birth defects. However, the scientists who drafted the Eurohazcon study pointed out that ‘no clear pattern of risk has yet emerged.’

Nonetheless, the UK govern- ment has not slept on the report. The Environmental Chemicals Unit in the UK’s Health Department has held a workshop to discuss potential health effects of landfill sites, focusing in partic-ular on birth defects.

Following the workshop, the British Health Department under-took the task to conduct a two-year study on the issue. The study will be concluded sometime this year.

In the UK, controlled landfill is the most common system of dis-posal for both domestic and indus-trial waste, with about 85% of UK waste deposited in this way.