European Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella visited a biological waste treatment plant being constructed in Magħtab yesterday.

The plant will turn the organic contents of ordinary domestic rubbish bags into biogas, producing enough electricity to power the facility itself.

The €60 million plant is the largest treatment project on the island and it is hoped it will eventually phase out the need for landfills. The plant will process about 67,000 tons of waste every year and about 40,000 tons of animal manure.

Mr Vella also went on board the Degre, a commercial traw-ler subcontracted to record biological variables of the marine life hauled. The data is fed into the EU’s data collection framework to help formulate scientific advice towards fisheries management.