The waste each Maltese produces is on the rise and shows no sign of stopping, according to the latest EU statistics.

In 2008, the Maltese, on average, each produced 44 more kilos of waste than in the previous year, the figure growing from 652 to 696 kilos per person.

In 2006, the level had risen by 28 kilos per capita over the previous year but before that it remained stable for three years following a similar rapid increase between 2002 and 2004. Judged by the period under review (2002-2008), the Maltese are dumping 28 per cent, or 153 kilos, more waste for every man, woman and child.

The highest waste producers in the EU in 2008 were the Danes (802 kilos per capita) and the Irish (733 kilos per capita). However, in these two cases, the related environ-mental hazard is more restricted as Denmark incinerates 52 per cent of all its waste and recycles the rest while Ireland recycles 32 per cent and incinerates another three per cent. On the other hand, in 2008, Malta still landfilled 97 per cent of its waste.

The situation is supposed to change rapidly in the coming months as the new recycling plant in Marsascala goes into full service, recycling a good part of Malta's generated waste.

According to EU rules, by the end of this year, Malta has to cut the amount of biodegradable waste sent to landfills by 25 per cent and by 50 per cent by 2013 when compared to its 1995 levels.

According to data supplied by the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, until 2009, just a year from the EU's deadline, Malta was still landfilling 135,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste, almost do-uble the amount of biode-gradable municipal waste to be allowed in the EU by the end of 2010.

However, according to the government, the new facilities at Sant'Antnin will now be in a position to process and treat 36,000 tonnes of dry recyclables and 35,000 tonnes of organic waste, drastically slashing the amount of landfilled waste by 71,000 tonnes in just a year.