A 20-tonne bulldozer which was being used by a contractor to regularly dump large amounts of illegal construction material was this morning confiscated by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

The authority also sealed off the site known as Ta’ Msid at L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha.

The public site, the area of which is more than 3,000 square meters, has been earmarked for scheduling as an Area of Ecological Importance (Level 2).

The waste, which is covering a number of protected trees and reaches heights of over two metres in certain areas, was dumped on a watercourse and garigue land which forms part of a larger network.

The operation which was carried out by Mepa enforcement personnel and included the elevation of the bulldozer from the site and the placing of concrete blocks to seal off the area.

For the first time, Mepa will be invoking its power to strictly redress any environmental liability caused by a contravener based on the polluter-pays principle.

In 2009, the Authority had removed illegal scrap vehicles and a large amount of disposed glass bottles from the adjacent site.