The Ghallis engineered landfill that started receiving waste in 2006, which led to the closure of the temporary Zwejra landfill sometime afterwards. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Waste has started to be dumped again at the Żwejra engineered landfill, which lies at the southern tip of the disused Magħtab site, Times of Malta has learnt.

Żwejra had stopped being used soon after the Għallis engineered landfill started receiving waste in 2006.

The Environment Ministry confirmed Żwejra was being used, adding “only a very small portion” of waste is being put in landfill there compared with Għallis.

However, the ministry failed to say why Żwejra was re-opened and when the decision was taken.

Żwejra opened in 2004 when the Magħtab dump was closed.

It was the first engineered landfill and was meant to be a temporary facility pending the opening of the main Għallis landfill in 2006.

Sources told this newspaper that Żwejra had been closed for some time in line with a phased-out approach agreed with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

Għallis, Żwejra are only sites permitted for this activity

They could not understand why the landfill was being used again, when Għallis had a 20-year capacity when it opened seven years ago.

The ministry spokeswoman explained that contrary to the Magħtab dump, Żwejra was engineered with lining systems for the handling of waste.

“Both Għallis and Żwejra are the only sites permitted for such activity,” she said, adding that Żwejra still had an active environment permit (IPPC) issued by Mepa that was in its final stages of renewal.

However, such a permit would still be required even if Żwejra did not receive waste because gases for the production of electricity are still being extracted from it.

Asked about fires that broke out in the environs of the old Magħtab dump last week, the spokeswoman said Wasteserv employees had recorded fires in neighbouring fields and not within the waste complex.

Before the rehabilitation process at Magħtab started, spontaneous combustion of waste was a regular occurrence.

No open fires have been recorded at the dump for years since it started being capped and gases extracted from the fiery core.

The spokeswoman explained that the temperature of the Magħtab dump had fallen over the years.

“This, coupled with the proper management of the gases... has contributed to keeping the controlled environment present today,” she said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com