Jibda x-xogħol fuq l-impjant il-ġdid għall-ipproċessar tal-iskart organiku b’investiment ta’ €75 miljun
Bdiet uffiċjalment il-kostruzzjoni tal-impjant il-ġdid għall-ipproċessar tal-iskart organiku, fejn diġà għaddejjin xogħlijiet ta’ skavar u l-bini ta’ ħajt tul il-perimetru tas-sit.
Dawn ix-xogħlijiet qed isiru filwaqt li għaddej ukoll ix-xogħol fuq id-disinn dettaljat tal-proċess u tal-inġinerija tal-impjant. Dan huwa pass importanti f’wieħed mill-akbar investimenti fis-settur tal-immaniġġjar tal-iskart f’pajjiżna.
Il-proġett jirrappreżenta investiment globali ta’ €75 miljun, li minnhom madwar €45 miljun huma kofinanzjati mill-Fond ta’ Koeżjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Il-faċilità l-ġdida se żżid b’aktar mid-doppju l-kapaċità ta’ Malta għall-ipproċessar tal-iskart organiku u tkompli ssaħħaħ it-tranżizzjoni tal-pajjiż lejn ekonomija ċirkolari. Dan il-proġett huwa wkoll miżura tal-programm elettorali tal-Gvern.
Il-Ministru għall-Enerġija, l-Ambjent u r-Riġenerazzjoni tal-Port il-Kbir Miriam Dalli, il-Ministru għall-Fondi Ewropej, id-Djalogu Soċjali u l-Protezzjoni tal-Konsumatur Keith Azzopardi Tanti, u l-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ WasteServ, Richard Bilocca, żaru s-sit biex isegwu l-progress ta’ dawn ix-xogħlijiet.
“Ix-xogħlijiet li bdejna fuq din il-faċilità ġdida huma pass ieħor importanti f’dan il-proġett, li se jippermettilna nirkupraw aktar riżorsi mill-iskart, niġġeneraw aktar enerġija rinnovabbli u nkomplu nibnu ekonomija ċirkolari aktar b’saħħitha għal Malta,” qalet il-Ministru Miriam Dalli.
Il-Ministru Keith Azzopardi Tanti enfasizza r-rwol importanti tal-fondi Ewropej fit-twettiq ta’ proġetti strateġiċi tal-infrastruttura nazzjonali. “Permezz ta’ investiment ta’ €45 miljun kofinanzjati minn fondi Ewropej, Wasteserv qed twettaq proġett kruċjali li se jressaq lill-pajjiżna aktar qrib ekonomija ċirkolari. Qed nuru b’mod prattiku kif il-fondi Ewropej jistgħu jinvestu fil-ħtiġijiet reali ta’ Malta, filwaqt li nittrattaw l-iskart bħala riżorsa prezzjuża li minnha niġġeneraw enerġija nadifa u kif ukoll kompost.”
Ladarba tkun qed taħdem, il-faċilità l-ġdida se żżid il-kapaċità annwali tal-ipproċessar tal-iskart organiku minn madwar 36,000 tunnellata għal aktar minn 74,000 tunnellata. Hekk kif is-separazzjoni tal-iskart qed tkompli tiżdied, din il-kapaċità addizzjonali se tippermetti li volumi ferm akbar ta’ skart organiku jiġu kkonvertiti f’enerġija rinnovabbli u kompost ta’ kwalità għolja, filwaqt li żżid il-produzzjoni tal-elettriku minn 8.5 GWh għal 20 GWh fis-sena.
Il-faċilità se tinkorpora wkoll teknoloġija avvanzata u livelli ogħla ta’ awtomazzjoni biex timmassimizza l-effiċjenza, ittejjeb l-operat u tkompli ssaħħaħ il-protezzjoni ambjentali.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ WasteServ, Richard Bilocca, qal li l-proġett qed javvanza skont il-pjan. “Il-kostruzzjoni issa daħlet fl-ewwel fażi tagħha, bix-xogħlijiet ta’ skavar għaddejjin fis-sit. L-iskavar qed isir permezz ta’ magna speċjalizzata tat-tip surface planer excavator, li hija adattata għall-iskala tal-proġett filwaqt li tgħin biex jitnaqqsu l-impatti ambjentali, b’mod partikolari l-ħsejjes u l-vibrazzjonijiet. F’konformità mal-impenn ta’ WasteServ lejn is-sostenibbiltà, il-materjal li qed jiġi skavat qed jerġa’ jintuża fuq is-sit biex jimtlew żoni baxxi sal-livelli meħtieġa fid-disinn. Bdew ukoll ix-xogħlijiet għall-bini tal-ħajt tul il-perimetru tal-faċilità. Fl-istess ħin, qed jiġu finalizzati d-disinni dettaljati tal-proċess u tal-inġinerija,” qal Bilocca.
L-Impjant il-Ġdid għall-Ipproċessar tal-Iskart Organiku huwa mistenni jitlesta fi żmien sentejn u huwa proġett kruċjali fl-implimentazzjoni tal-istrateġija ECOHIVE.
Works begin on new €75 million Organic Processing Plant
Construction of the new Organic Processing Plant has officially begun, with site mobilisation, excavation works, and the construction of a perimeter retaining wall already in progress.
These works are being carried out in parallel with the plant’s detailed engineering and process design, marking a major milestone in one of Malta’s largest waste management investments.
The project represents a total investment of €75 million, including approximately €45 million in co-financing through the European Union Cohesion Fund. The new facility will more than double Malta’s capacity to treat organic waste and further strengthen the country’s transition towards a circular economy. This project is also part of the government’s electoral programme.
Minister for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli, Minister for European Funds Keith Azzopardi Tanti, and WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca visited the site to view progress on the ongoing works.
“The start of works on this new facility marks another important milestone in a project that will enable us to recover more resources, generate more renewable energy, and continue building a stronger circular economy for Malta,” said Minister Miriam Dalli.
Minister Keith Azzopardi Tanti highlighted the important role of European funding in delivering strategic national infrastructure projects. “Through a €45 million investment co-financed by European funds, WasteServ is implementing a crucial project that will bring our country closer to a circular economy. We are demonstrating in practical terms how European funds can be invested in Malta’s real needs, while treating waste as a valuable resource from which we can generate clean energy and compost.”
Once operational, the new facility will increase annual organic waste treatment capacity from around 36,000 tonnes to more than 74,000 tonnes. As waste separation continues to increase, this additional capacity will enable significantly larger volumes of organic waste to be converted into renewable energy and high-quality compost, while increasing electricity generation from the current 8.5 GWh to up to 20 GWh annually.
The facility will also incorporate advanced technology and higher levels of automation to maximise efficiency, improve operational performance, and further enhance environmental safeguards.
WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca said the project is progressing according to plan. “Construction has now entered its first phase, with excavation works underway across the site. General excavation is being carried out using specialised surface planer excavators that are specifically suited to the scale of the project while helping to minimise environmental impacts, particularly noise and vibration. In line with WasteServ’s commitment to sustainability, excavated material is also being reused on site to backfill low-lying areas to the required design levels. Works have also started on the construction of the facility’s perimeter retaining wall, while detailed process and engineering designs are currently being finalised.”
The Organic Processing Plant is expected to be completed within two years and will become another key component of the ECOHIVE strategy.2021–2027 Programme, with €261 million allocated in European funding.