Clean construction waste generated from excavation works carried out on the Smart City project must be optimised and this "scarce resource" should not be dumped out at sea, Azzjoni Nazzjonali deputy leader Anġlu Xuereb said yesterday.

Mr Xuereb, who is a developer, said AN condemned the waste of the "only" resource of our country, namely Globgerina linestone (ġebla tal-franka) and the clean inert construction waste created from excavation.

All this, he said, was being dumped into the sea at a depth of 150 metres where there was no hope of ever making any use of it.

He noted that the environment minister had set up a technical committee with the help of the Austrian Government to advise him on the best way to utilise construction waste but then ignored the advice.

AN believes that this construction material should be used to, for example, create artificial reefs after obtaining sound technical advice.

"These reefs would be beneath the surface of the water and hidden from view except when on certain occasions they have to be built up to a certain height above the water-line.

They can be so designed to maintain the currents that keep the water fresh.

"These artificial reefs should also be protected from the weather by concrete blocks made from the same inert construction waste, mixed with cement and sand.

This will not only reduce the demand on our diminishing quantities of hard rock but will also provide shelter and a breeding ground for diminishing fish stocks," he said.