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5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 AUGUST 2026 NEWS Fireworks, joy and cheer. Respect consent, make it clear. If you would like to address abusive behaviour: 2295 9000 If you are experiencing abuse: 179, 116 006 Controversial Lapsi quarry could operate beyond next decade A controversial hardstone quar- ry near Għar Lapsi in Siġġiewi could remain operational be- yond the next decade, docu- mentation submitted to the en- vironment authority shows. The quarry, known as Lapsi Quarry or Ta' Bellula Quar- ry, is operated by the Polidano Group. It produces hardstone, hardsand and gravel and serves as a construction waste recy- cling facility. It is situated in a picturesque area adjoining sen- sitive rural and coastal land and close to ecologically protected Natura 2000 areas. In documentation submitted for the new environmental per- mit for Quarry HM33 (as it is officially known), the operator says its long-term strategy relies heavily on extending the quar- ry's operational life beyond 10 years. Environmental permits are issued by the Environment and Resources Authority. The company argues that land available nationally for mineral waste recycling is highly scarce and says it therefore wants to prolong the recycling facility's lifespan for as long as possible. The operator also argues that the void space created by quar- rying is itself a limited national resource, and it intends pre- serving it and avoid backfilling unless this becomes completely unavoidable. Recycling activities are ex- pected to continue for at least a decade, "and likely even longer", the documentation states, citing persistent national demand for construction materials. The quarry currently accepts around 300,000 tonnes of inert excavation, construction and demolition waste every year. Incoming material is stock- piled and processed to meet customer specifications. The quarry has a storage capacity of around 3,500 tonnes for scari- fied road material and asphalt/ tarmac waste. The new application, EP 0134/26, submitted by Paul Polidano on behalf of Polidano Brothers Ltd, covers quarry op- erations including stone extrac- tion, recycling of inert and con- struction and demolition waste, and the backfilling of excavation voids. The site is also subject to im- mediate environmental man- agement measures agreed with ERA. These include sealing access to a designated yellow area, isolating a blue area on the quarry floor with concrete blocks and repairing boundary walls. When operations eventually cease, the operator envisages a four-stage restoration process. This would involve surveying the remaining void, subdividing it for sequential backfilling in compacted two to three-metre layers, and eventually terracing the surface to blend into the sur- rounding landscape. The restored land, sometime in late 2030s or early 2040s, could then be returned to agricultural use or another permitted use. Reporting James Debono The quarry, known as Lapsi Quarry or Ta' Bellula Quarry