Why did Mepa commission a land reclamation study?
Most of the solid waste generated in the Maltese islands originates from construction and demolition and currently only limited waste disposal options are available. It is frequently recommended to dispose of inert waste at sea, with the possibility of increasing the present landmass through sea reclamation. The purpose of this study was to identify the potential for waste disposal at sea, with respect to construction and demolition waste in the Maltese islands, including land reclamation.

What aspects are covered?
The study covers the following aspects:

1. Current practice, existing and predicted developments at sea (fish farms, navigation requirements, bunkering facilities, fisheries, areas to be designated for offshore wind farms, marine protected areas, leisure and tourism etc.), local data, legislation and policies, including International Conventions and Protocols concerning land reclamation.

2. EU policies and best practice in EU member states and elsewhere.

3. Local legislation and policies concerning land reclamation.

4. Predicted amounts of construction waste that will need marine deposition within the next 20 years.

5. Identification of ways how deposition of construction waste can be carried out at sea (deep sea deposition, extension of the shoreline, creation of islands, construction of tourist, recreational and other facilities, etc.), indicating for each option the environmental, social and economic benefits and constraints.

6. Identification and initial evaluation of potential marine sites, methodologies, etc., indicating for each the acceptable options and recommending a preferred option for implementation.

7. Indicate additional baseline and feasibility studies necessary for further project preparation, including environmental impact assessments.

8. Draft tender specifications (Terms of Reference) for these additional studies.