09th July 2003

Heavy investment in waste separation efforts needed

The decision to have two temporary waste landfills for municipal waste is not a good indication, Friends of the Earth said. The temporary landfills are not contemplated in Malta’s waste management strategy and it is clear that either a lack of adequate planning in the strategy or, more likely, with its implementation.

Taking mixed waste to an EU compliant engineered landfill does not sound like the best way forward. Friends of the Earth would like to see government making a large investment in waste separation efforts so that by May 2004 all waste going to landfill will be separated.

These efforts should include investment in the necessary infrastructure required to support waste separation. FoE questions the source of funding for these two new landfills and asks how much they are expected to cost. FoE reminds that it will also be necessary to fund the upgrade of Sant Antnin and a waste sorting plant by the time Maghtab is closed down.

Since Malta is obliged to conform with EU directives immediate action is required to ensure that waste separation is speeded up. It is clear that a strong investment is needed in the process otherwise Malta could find itself in the position of facing fines for non-compliance of EU Directives. It would make sense to upgrade the Sant’ Antnin composting plant and at least have as much biodegradable waste going there as possible, so that Malta can comply with the EU Landfill Directive.

The idea that we have to have temporary landfills shows that the authority responsible for the waste strategy implementation has not been able to stick to its plan and stipulated time frames and this does not auger well for meeting other deadlines in the future.

FoE Malta calls on the ministry to make public the studies that led to the choice of Ghallis as the best site, and the comparisons that were made with other sites; and also any studies that led to the choice of sites for the temporary landfill.

Friends of the Earth also deplores the lack of consultation prior to the decision to have two temporary landfills. This is an indication that the ministry is not interested to involve civil society in decision making and goes against what was envisaged in Malta’s waste management strategy.