05th July 2000

Incineration not necessary for Malta

The waste management strategy that has been proposed to the government is based on old figures and is biased in favour of incineration Moviment ghall-Ambjent, Friends of the Earth (Malta) said today.

The waste strategy as has been proposed does not indicate why incineration is being suggested for the Maltese Islands in about ten years. The report does not indicate the figures for the different waste arisings in the years to come and Friends of the Earth (Malta) believes that with successful waste separation at source no incineration is necessary.

Incineration is an extremely expensive option and the waste consultants should have indicated clearly why incineration is to be introduced when this will cost each Maltese resident about Lm77.50 per year by 2013. Choosing a waste management strategy that would be more environment friendly would cost Lm21.54 per year per resident in 2013 – a saving of Lm55.96 per person per year.

The emissions from incinerators are dangerous to health and recent studies in the US have linked dioxin emissions from incinerators to cancer. Malta should give the health of its residents prime importance and protect them from pollution.

Moviment ghall-Ambjent, Friends of the Earth (Malta) expects the consultants to explain the reasoning behind the strategy they are suggesting with facts and figures. Just to say incineration should be introduced by 2013 is not enough.