Marsascala mayor Mario Calleja does not believe the expansion of the re-cycling plant in his locality will ever be considered by the Government.

The controversial proposal was included in a draft waste management plan released by Environment Minister Leo Brincat on Tuesday.

“We have long been dumped with everybody’s rubbish and when the recycling plant development was approved, the Marsascala community was promised that two other similar facilities would be built elsewhere to treat waste,” Mr Calleja, a Labour Party mayor, said when contacted.

Experts who drew up the report recommended a 40 per cent increase in the volume of waste that should be treated at the Sant’Antnin recycling facility.

If the proposal is accepted the plant will treat 100,000 tonnes of waste, up from the 71,000 tonnes that is currently allowed by its environment permit.

It doesn’t even cross my mind the minister will consider it

Mr Calleja said the recommendation was made by experts and did not necessarily mean it will be taken on board.

“It doesn’t even cross my mind the minister will consider it after all the controversy that arose and the court cases when the Sant’Antnin plant was redeveloped,” Mr Calleja said.

The proposal was one of others aimed at reducing the amount of waste that is land filled, bringing Malta in line with EU targets. Mr Brincat has disowned the recycling plant recommendation, saying it was unfeasible and that the final report could change after public consultation.

The plant was for years at the centre of controversy for the foul smells that it caused in the locality. When it was redeveloped to higher standards it transpired that a study to assess whether an alternative site could be found, commissioned by the planning authority, had been vitiated.

Labour MEP Joseph Muscat even threatened to block EU funds for the project.

Another recycling facility is to be built at Magħtab.