Freeport, Polidano unaware of power station waste proposal

Freeport officials are completely in the dark about a proposal by the Finance Ministry to ship hazardous waste generated by the new power station from the Freeport rather than from Delimara.

Last week the ministry told The Times that hazardous waste stored in specialised containers would not be shipped from the Delimara quay where the power station extension would be built, but instead be transported to the Freeport either by road or by barge across Marsaxlokk bay.

However, Freeport sources told The Sunday Times they knew nothing of the matter.

"Although it would be the shipping company engaged to carry the waste to its final destination that would make the necessary arrangements, the Freeport might have to handle the containers in a specialised way given the hazardous contents," the sources said.

Apart from this, such a proposal would have a direct impact on the Freeport if barges are used because Enemalta would have to book a berthing slot.

Waste disposal was a bone of contention during the Malta Environment and Planning Authority hearing last Thursday that approved the full development permit for the controversial power station extension.

The chosen plant, which will be run on heavy fuel oil, is expected to generate 30 tonnes of hazardous solid waste every day that has to be exported under very strict conditions because Malta has no facility to dispose of it. Enemalta does not yet have a waste disposal contract in place.

The Environmental Impact Assessment for the new plant stated that hazardous waste would have to be stored in specialised containers and exported at a rate of 15 per week to avoid power outages.

The hazardous waste is generated by the emissions filtering equipment that is required because Enemalta intends operating the plant on heavy fuel oil.

The special containers were not part of the €200 million agreement signed in May last year between the government and Danish company BWSC, which will be supplying the new plant.

Each special container is expected to cost around €25,000 although Enemalta has yet to decide whether to buy or include them as part of the waste disposal contract when it is awarded.

In the meantime, the Polidano Group yesterday denied it has any knowledge of plans by Enemalta to dump construction waste material from the extension of the power station at its quarry in Siġġiewi.

"We have no involvement in the power station project at all," a spokesman for the construction company said.

The claim that Enemalta had decided to use the Polidano Group landfill at Siġġiewi was made during Thursday's hearing by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, which gave the corporation the necessary building permits for the new extension.

"There is no agreement between Polidano Group and Enemalta for this to happen and it is the first time we heard about it," the spokesman said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com