Explosives were found dumped in last week’s grey/green bag collection endangering the lives of WasteServ employees and leading to the disposal of 140 tonnes of recyclable waste. WasteServ had to call in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit of the Armed Forces of Malta to assist it in safely removing and neutralising the hazardous materials.
As a precautionary measure, and in light of the danger posed by the discovered material, a total of 140 tonnes of good recyclable material had to be quarantined and then disposed of in the landfill. WasteServ condemned this gross negligence and appealed to the public to be responsible.
Situations such as these not only put their employees’ lives at risk but posed a serious threat to its operations and new infrastructure. This incident could have had far more serious consequences, especially considering the presence of highly flammable materials such as paper, plastic, and cardboard.
“It is essential that hazardous waste, including flares, batteries, electronic equipment, and other highly flammable or explosive materials, are disposed of properly to prevent similar incidents in the future,” WasteServ said. “We want to remind the public that such materials can be safely disposed of at one of our Civic Amenity Sites.”
“As WasteServ, we are working tirelessly towards meeting the country’s recycling targets. However, we want to emphasise that our success is highly dependent on the cooperation of the public. Above all else, our company prioritises the safety of its employees and its infrastructure.”
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