WasteServ Malta Ltd has opened its third civic amenity site, located at Ħal Far, to complement the other two sites at Magħtab and Mrieħel where the public can dispose of a variety of household bulky waste.

The new site is the first of its kind in the south, located in an industrial estate close to the many factories operating there. It is intended to cater for over 50,000 inhabitants from the neighbouring localities and collect about 5,400 tonnes of domestic waste, separated by users onsite.

The recyclable material will be directed for recycling through the services provided by a number of local companies.

The Ħal Far site is spread over 4,250 square metres and includes facilities for the collection and pre-treatment of separated waste. The cost of €334,000 (Lm143,386) was allocated from EU structural funds and co-funded by the government. So far €1.2 million (Lm515.160) have been poured into setting up the three CA sites.

Unlike bring-in sites, which only cater for paper, plastic, metal and glass, the supervised CA sites are equipped to take refuse such as mattresses, white goods, furniture, tyres, electronic products, waste from DIY activities and garden waste. This waste is then sent for recycling locally or abroad, depending on the waste stream.

The facilities are open seven days a week between 7.30 am and 5.30 p.m. including public holidays. People drive through with their car to dispose of waste separately in specific containers.

The waste can include dry recyclables such as paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastic. Carpets, tiles, oil, batteries, solvents, medicines, neon tubes, paint and other hazardous domestic waste can also be deposited.

A staggering 11,226,367 kilogrammes of waste were collected through WasteServ's waste disposal facilities last year. This included 2,810,424 kilos of paper, plastic, metal and glass collected through the sites - a hefty 25 per cent increase over 2006 - and 8,415,942 kilos of bulky refuse deposited at the civic amenity sites. A total of 38,570 vehicles drove into the Mrieħel and Magħtab sites to deposit household waste.

All this waste has gone to the temporary waste separation facility in Marsa for recycling and export. On resumption of operations at Sant' Antnin, it will be directed to this newly upgraded plant.

Vince Magri, chief executive officer at Wasteserv said: "Before the advent of waste separation, this waste would have been collected as unseparated rubbish, and it would have gone to the landfills as a potential environmental hazard.

We have today successfully reversed this scenario, and the ever-increasing numbers speak for themselves. We are minimising potential damage to the environment by human activity, and turning it into a sustainable exercise."

Environment Minister George Pullicino said: "The government's target to encourage the 'bring' system of separated waste has been a huge success, and the response from the public has been overwhelming."

He said the operational 200 bring-in sites along public roads will be increased to 400. Works at the CA Site in Gozo have also resumed this week, after clearance from Mepa.

"The imminent commissioning of the Material Recovery Facility at the newly upgraded Sant'Antnin Recycling Plant will also translate into the launch of a new door-to-door packaging waste collection scheme in April to complement the collection of separated material through the bring-in sites."

More information about WasteServ can be obtained by calling Freephone 8007 2200.