Landfills start being prepared for rehabilitation

Preparatory works for the rehabilitation of the Maghtab and Qortin rubbish dumps have started, Wasteserv said yesterday.

WasteServ employees are recontouring some of the inert material to form access tracks and level working platforms.

The foundations of Maghtab will be strengthened in order to create stability within the waste masses and prepare the site for the rehabilitation works, which will include drilling to install steel wells and the construction of a secure compound to house a gas management plant.

The works at this dump are being conducted on the north east side and will be clearly visible from the coast road.

WasteServ's chief executive officer Vincent Magri said: "The works are extremely delicate as our employees will be working in areas where the land masses will not be safe enough to allow tractors and bulldozers to operate.

"For the safety of our employees we are taking all the precautionary measures including surveying the land before any work commences. This will help to sort out difficulties and eliminate any danger."

He said that now the EU funds for the project had been secured, Wasteserv needed to move very fast and stick to deadlines.

"The rehabilitation works will be undertaken under one or more contracts in accordance with European Union requirements. The tender will be for a period of 18 months and after completion of the handover period responsibility for managing the sites will rest with the government."