Agricultural waste, such as vegetable and fruit scraps and tree trimmings, will be processed by WasteServ and turned into quality compost to be used by farmers.
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo announced this during a visit to the Civic Amenity Site in Ta’ Qali, where WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca and Malta Food Agency CEO Brian Vella accompanied them.
The composter will process agricultural waste coming from farmers and Pitkalija. This equipment, with a capacity of 15 tonnes, will produce around 8 tonnes of compost per cycle, with each cycle taking about two weeks. Therefore, in a circular economy model, such waste is seen as a resource that will be returned to farmers as quality compost. This follows an agreement between WasteServ and the Malta Food Agency, whereby the latter will distribute this compost to farmers free of charge from Pitkalija.
“Today, we are seeing in a tangible way how circular economy can be applied to different sectors, in this case for agricultural use. This is the kind of sustainable work we want to continue promoting so that our country implements the principles of circular economy, reduces waste, and recognises the value of waste,” stated Minister Miriam Dalli.
She recalled that WasteServ is also investing in a new facility that will turn organic waste into energy. This will be done by processing around 70,000 tonnes of organic waste, which will be turned into compost and energy.
Minister Anton Refalo stated that this agreement is crucial for the maintenance of crops and the cultivation of vegetables and fruits. This can be possible through a process that sees that the compost is distributed to our farmers, eventually leading to quality food for Maltese and Gozitan families.
“Today, we are again witnessing the government keeping its word with Maltese and Gozitan farmers, supporting their work and at the same time bearing the fruits of the work of the Malta Food Agency, which is responsible for the holistic process of local produce from production until it reaches consumers,” Minister Refalo explained.
Lejn ekonomija ċirkulari: Skart agrikolu mibdul f’kompost għall-bdiewa
Skart agrikolu bħal fdalijiet tal-ħaxix u frott u friegħi tas-siġar se jkun qed jiġi pproċessat mill-WasteServ sabiex jinbidel f’kompost ta’ kwalità, għall-użu tal-bdiewa fl-għelieqi tagħhom.
Dan tħabbar mill-Ministri Miriam Dalli u Anton Refalo, waqt żjara li għamlu fiċ-Ċentru għall-Iskart Goff f’Ta’ Qali. Huma kienu akkumpanjati mill-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-WasteServ Richard Bilocca u l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Aġenzija Maltija għall-Ikel, Brian Vella.
Permezz ta’ composter, skart agrikolu mingħand il-bdiewa u mill-Pitkalija se jkun qed jiġi pproċessat. Dan il-makkinarju b’kapaċità ta’ 15-il tunnellata se jkun qed jipproduċi madwar tmien tunnellati ta’ kompost f’kull ċiklu, li jieħu madwar ġimagħtejn. Għalhekk, f’mudell ta’ ekonomija ċirkulari, ir-riżorsa tal-iskart mibdula f’kompost ta’ kwalità se tkun qed terġa’ lura għand il-bdiewa. Dan anke wara ftehim li sar bejn WasteServ u l-Aġenzija Maltija għall-Ikel. L-Aġenzija se tkun qed tqassam dan il-kompost lill-bdiewa mill-Pitkalija mingħajr ħlas.
“Illum qed naraw b’mod tanġibbli kif l-ekonomija ċirkulari tista’ tiġi applikata f’setturi differenti, f’dan il-każ għall-użu agrikolu. Din hija t-tip ta’ ħidma sostenibbli li rridu nkomplu nimbuttaw sabiex pajjiżna verament ikompli jimplimenta l-prinċipji tal-ekonomija ċirkulari, innaqqsu l-ħela u nagħrfu l-valur tal-iskart,” qalet il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli.
Hija fakkret kif il-WasteServ qiegħda wkoll tinvesti f’impjant biex l-iskart organiku jservi bħala sors ta’ enerġija. Dan permezz tal-ipproċessar ta’ skart organiku – mas-70,000 tunnellata – li se jkun qed jiddawwar f’kompost u enerġija.
Min-naħa tiegħu, il-Ministru għall-Agrikoltura, is-Sajd u d-Drittijiet tal-Annimali Anton Refalo nnota kif dan il-ftehim huwa kruċjali ferm għaż-żamma tar-raba’ u l-kultivazzjoni ta’ ħxejjex u frott. Dan jista’ jkun possibbli permezz ta’ proċess li jara li l-kompost jitqassam għand il-bdiewa tagħna, u li eventwalment iwassal għall-ikel ta’ kwalità fuq l-imwejjed tal-familji Maltin u Għawdxin.
“Illum qed nerġgħu naraw li l-Gvern qiegħed iżomm kelmtu ma’ għexieren ta’ bdiewa u raħħala Maltin u Għawdxin f’ħidmithom u fl-istess ħin qed naraw il-frott li qed tħalli l-Aġenzija Maltija għall-Ikel li l-għan tagħha kien li tieħu ħsieb il-proċess ħolistiku tal-prodott lokali mill-produzzjoni sa kemm dan jasal għand il-konsumatur,” spjega l-Ministru Refalo.