The Material Recovery Facility, the first phase of the modernisation project of the Sant'Antnin Waste Recycling Plant, is now operational - a "crucial" step to increase the amount of recycled waste in Malta, Environment Minister George Pullicino said yesterday.
Speaking at the launch of the facility yesterday, Mr Pullicino said this was a milestone for waste management policy.
It is here that the manual sorting of dry, recyclable waste, recovered by separation at source, including products received from the bring-in and civic amenity sites, is carried out before it is sent for recycling.
Mr Pullicino said: "Ironically, without the upgrading of the plant, we would not have managed to also upgrade the way we collect recyclable waste, which should start in just over a month, following intensive negotiations with constituted bodies and the Association of Local Councils."
Details of how the new weekly door-to-door separated packaging waste collection scheme from every locality is going to work would be announced next week, he said.
The minister appealed to the public to use the facilities for waste separation, since otherwise there would be no point having the modernised Sant' Antnin plant.
The part of the plant that has started operating can handle 36,000 tonnes of recyclable waste, while the section that is geared up to treat domestic organic waste should be up and running by the end of the year, and will treat 35,000 tonnes every year.
The upgrade of the Sant'Antnin plant involves an investment of €27 million (Lm11.59 million), 70 per cent of which, equivalent to €16 million (Lm6.87 million), was covered by EU Cohesion Funds for 2004-2006. Apart from the remaining 30 per cent, the Government is also investing a further €11 million (Lm4.72 million) to carry out the required construction work.
The plant will cater for around 71,000 tonnes of waste from the total of 240,000 in Malta and Gozo, and will operate on identical lines as similar plants in the EU. It complements three civic amenity sites, a new incinerator, 200 bring-in sites and another 200 in schools, set up in the last four years, Mr Pullicino continued.
The Sant'Antnin Waste Treatment Plant in Marsascala is open to the public today between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visitors will be offered guided tours of the plant by trained staff, among other activities.