Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1539053
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The complex will also include an incinerator for non-recycla- ble waste, an organic waste pro- cessing plant and an incinerator for hazardous waste that comes from medical facilities and ani- mal waste. The MRF study confirms the project's crucial role in help- ing Malta reach EU recycling targets but also identifies envi- ronmental impacts linked to its development including the pos- sible relocation or uprooting of 244 protected trees found in the area. The EIA covers the MRF in isolation, with cumulative im- pacts of the other plants form- ing part of the complex consid- ered only for noise and visual changes. Recyclables will be collected in two separate streams: Fibre, which includes cardboard, pa- per and magazines, and con- tainers, comprising plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays, metal cans, plastic film and beverage containers. Glass will not be processed at the MRF. The plant's capacity will cater for 40,000 tonnes per year of fi- bre and 30,000 tonnes per year of containers. The facility will use automat- ed sorting systems to process the two streams, replacing cur- rent reliance on manual lines. Around 160 refuse collection vehicle trips per week will be required to service the site. Recycling targets: From 10% to 65% Malta must achieve a recycling rate of 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035. Data analysed in the re- port shows that while Maltese households generate relatively low volumes of waste compared to EU averages, the country's recycling rates remain below the European mean of 39%. The EIA cites a mean recycling rate of just 10% for the entire peri- od between 2000 and 2020 but does not provide more recent statistics. According to the report, clo- sure of the Sant' Antnin plant in Marsaskala, following a fire in 2017 left Malta without a ded- icated MRF. But a temporary facility with a 40,000-tonne an- nual capacity was approved in the ECOHIVE complex in 2024. This was intended to fill the gap until the new plant with a great- er capacity is constructed. The site selected for the de- velopment lies east of the Ta' Żwejra landfill, covering a to- tal footprint of 21,373sq.m. Of this, the MRF building will oc- cupy 11,900sq.m with welfare facilities covering 400sq.m and the remainder allocated to vehi- cle access and manoeuvring. Environmental impact The land is currently agricul- tural, featuring shallow terraced fields, rubble walls and low-ly- ing vegetation. An agricultural survey concluded that the site has poor soils, low fertility and no irrigation, limiting its use to hay cultivation. The EIA states that the development will per- manently change land use with- in the footprint from agricul- tural to industrial. The project will affect 244 protected trees. Some of these may be transplanted to a land- scaped area within the site, while others will be removed and replaced through compen- satory planting as guided by the Environment and Resources Authority. The report also identifies eco- logical impacts. Construction could disturb breeding sites for the Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola and Blue Rock Thrush if works take place during the nesting season. Artificial light could affect seabird colonies within five kilometres of the site, including the Yelkouan Shearwater colony on St Paul's Islands. Recommended mitiga- tion measures include avoiding night works. Other issues raised include dust and noise during excava- tion and a potential fire hazard 6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 3 SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWS Photomontage of the materials recovery facility (MRF) alongside the yet to be built waste to energy plant and thermal plant as seen from Coast Road Recycling plant capacity based on Processing capacity based on expected population increase and assumption that 50% of recyclable material currently disposed of in black bags will be separated at source