€20 million multi-material recovery facility inaugurated
Waste streams previously dumped at landfills will now be processed and reused thanks to the opening of WasteServ’s €20 million Multi Material Recovery Facility (MMRF).
The facility, partly funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds 2014–2020, was inaugurated today by Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett, in the presence of European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius.
Situated in Ħal Far, the MMRF is designed to accept waste streams such as wood, mattresses, polystyrene, tyres, and textiles. Through this facility, WasteServ will perform limited pre-treatment on certain materials for their reintroduction into the circular economy as well as allow for their export with a lower environmental impact. Additionally, the facility will serve as a storage facility for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) received through the civic amenity sites.
Accompanied by WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca, the European Commissioner, Minister Dalli, and Parliamentary Secretary Bonett toured the facility before addressing a media conference.
“Today is a significant day for waste management in Malta, as we continue to establish a sustainable waste management system that promotes waste separation and encourages the reuse of materials. This government is committed to constantly working on our waste management systems as a priority, with the aim of achieving our targets to ensure a circular economy and reduce landfilled waste,” stated Minister Miriam Dalli.
Minister Dalli also explained that this investment complemented the €500 million investment currently underway at the ECOHIVE Complex. The complex will include new facilities for waste processing, which will further enhance the country’s performance in this sector.
EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius stated, “I am happy to see that EU funds are being utilised to help Malta transition to a full circular economy. This facility will return thousands of tons of good-quality recyclable material into the economy. I look forward to the realisation of further projects focused on diverting waste away from landfills.”
Parliamentary Secretary Bonett explained that this €20 million investment, partially funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds, is a demonstration of what can be achieved when innovation and responsibility are combined.
“The MMRF is an investment in the environment, in our health, and in our future. It symbolizes the commitment that this government has, where, together with the use of the Cohesion Fund of the European Union, we invest in projects that pave the way for future generations. We are committed to keeping working hand in hand so that, with the help of European funds, the objectives of this project can reflect our efforts to be innovative and make great leaps towards a sustainable future,” stated Dr Bonett.
Following the press conference, the commissioner also visited one of the reuse centres. Through these facilities situated across Malta and Gozo, around 10,000 items have been diverted from the landfill and given a new lease on life by new owners.
Faċilità ġdida għall-irkupru tal-iskart se tnaqqas l-iskart li jispiċċa fil-miżbla
Tiġi inawgurata Multi-Material Recovery Facility ta’ €20 miljun
Tipi ta’ skart differenti li qabel kienu jispiċċaw fil-miżbla issa se jiġu pproċessati u użati mill-ġdid permezz tal-ftuħ ta’ Multi-Material Recovery Facility (MMRF), b’investiment ta’ €20 miljun mill-WasteServ.
Il-faċilità, parzjalment iffinanzjata mill-Fondi Strutturali u ta’ Investiment Ewropej 2014-2020, ġiet inawgurata llum mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u s-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropej Chris Bonett, fil-preżenza tal-Kummissarju Ewropew għall-Ambjent Virginijus Sinkevičius.
L-MMRF, li jinsab f’Ħal Far, huwa ddisinjat biex jaċċetta flussi ta’ skart bħall-injam, saqqijiet, polystyrene, tajers u tessuti. Permezz ta’ din il-faċilità se jkunu qed jiġu trattati ċerti materjali biex jerġgħu jiġu introdotti fl-ekonomija ċirkolari kif ukoll se tkun qed tippermetti l-esportazzjoni tal-istess materjali b’inqas impatt fuq l-ambjent. Barra minn hekk, il-faċilità se sservi bħala faċilità għall-ħażna tal-iskart ta’ tagħmir elettriku u elettroniku (WEEE) li l-Wasteserv tirċievi fiċ-Ċentri għall-Iskart Goff.
Akkumpanjati mill-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ WasteServ Richard Bilocca, il-Kummissarju Ewropew, il-Ministru Dalli u s-Segretarju Parlamentari Bonett kellhom l-opportunità li jżuru din il-faċilità qabel ma’ indirizzaw konferenza tal-aħbarijiet.
“Illum huwa jum sinifikanti għas-settur tal-immaniġġjar tal-iskart f’Malta, hekk kif qed inkomplu nistabbilixxu sistema sostenibbli tal-immaniġġjar tal-iskart li tippromwovi s-separazzjoni tal-iskart u tinkoraġġixxi l-użu mill-ġdid tal-materjali. Dan il-Gvern huwa kommess li jibqa’ jaħdem fuq is-sistemi tal-immaniġġjar tal-iskart bi prijorità, bil-għan li nilħqu l-miri tagħna sabiex niżguraw ekonomija ċirkolari u inqas skart fil-miżbliet,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Spjegat ukoll li dan l-investiment jikkumplimenta l-investiment ta’ €500 miljun li għaddej bħalissa fil-Kumpless ECOHIVE. Dan il-kumpless se jkun qed jinkludi faċilitajiet ġodda għall-ipproċessar tal-iskart, u li se jkomplu jtejbu l-prestazzjoni tal-pajjiż f’dan il-qasam.
Il-Kummissarju Ewropew Virginijus Sinkevičius stqarr; “Ninsab kuntent nara li l-fondi Ewropej qed jiġu utilizzati biex jgħinu lil Malta fit-tranżizzjoni lejn ekonomija ċirkolari. Din il-faċilità se tirritorna eluf ta’ tunnellati ta’ materjal riċiklabbli ta’ kwalità tajba lura fl-ekonomija. Inħares ’il quddiem għal aktar proġetti ffukati biex jitnaqqas l-iskart li jintrema fil-miżbliet.”
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Chris Bonett spjega kif dan l-investiment ta’ €20 miljun, parzjalment iffinanzjat mill-Fondi Strutturali u ta’ Investiment Ewropej, huwa xhieda ta’ x’jista’ jinkiseb meta jingħaqdu r-responsabiltà u l-innovazzjoni.
“L-MMRF huwa investiment fl-ambjent, fis-saħħa u fil-futur tagħna. Jissimbolizza l-impenn li għandu dan il-gvern li flimkien mal-użu tal-Fond tal-Koeżjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropea ninvestu f’proġetti li jwittu triq għall-futur tal-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna. Kommess li naħdmu id f’id sabiex bl-għajnuna ta’ fondi Ewropej l-għanijiet ta’ dan il-proġett jirriflettu l-isforzi tagħna biex inkunu innovattivi u responsabbli fil-ħidma u nagħmlu qabżiet kbar ’il quddiem fis-sostenibbiltà,” stqarr Dr Bonett.
Wara l-konferenza tal-aħbarijiet, il-Kummissarju żar ukoll wieħed mir-Reuse Centres. Permezz ta’ dawn il-faċilitajiet, li jinsabu f’Malta u Għawdex, madwar 10,000 oġġett ingħataw ħajja ġdida minflok spiċċaw fil-miżbla.
