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Julian Manduca
In what seems like a classical case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing, a rural affairs ministry director said abattoir waste is being incinerated while the head of strategy at WasteServ told this newspaper the waste is being dumped at Ta’ Zwejra. The Director General responsible for the Food and Veterinary Regulation Division, Dr Carmelo Lino Vella, said that the old malfunctioning incinerator has been upgraded to EU standards and since 1 May animal waste has been burned there.
However, Ing Christopher Ciantar told this newspaper, “Abattoir waste originating from the slaughtering and processing of meat fit for consumption is being deposited at ta’ Zwejra following treatment. This is in line with LN168 of 2002 and LN337 of 2001.”
Residents of Maghtab are furious that waste continues to be dumped the vicinity of their homes after their hopes were raised that Maghtab would be closed 1 May.
According to WasteServ, the new facility just alongside Maghtab and closer to many residences cost the government Lm450,000 and Ciantar said that “projections show that the void will suffice until the new Ghallis site becomes operational.”
The head of strategy at WasteServ explained how this would be achieved: “WasteServ is recovering as many materials as possible. For example 50,000 tyres and 1,700 mattresses have been shredded and exported. Cardboard is being separated and exported and the bring-in sites are also contributing so that more material is diverted.
“Green waste is also taken to Sant’Antnin for composting while metal and aluminium are being recovered and sent for recycling. Bulky waste is being crushed so as to save space. In addition to all of this, no construction waste enters Ta’ Zwejra unless it is required for daily cover. Every effort is being made by WasteServ to save space and recover materials.”
julian@newsworksltd.com
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