FOI environment working group leader Godwin C. Micallef welcomed to the FOI premises officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Management Efficiency Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister on August 9. The main focus of this meeting was to discuss the government's proposed treatment of hazardous waste.

The meeting was held at the request of the federation after a number of its members informed it that officers from the Management Efficiency Unit were conducting a survey on hazardous waste and asked the federation for information on the objectives of the survey and for its advice on the filling up thereof.

Throughout the meeting, an open discussion was held on Government's current plans for incineration of hazardous waste and how this could be treated in the most economical and beneficial way both for industry and for Government and, ultimately, the taxpayer.

The FOI reiterated its publicly stated position in favour of waste-to-energy and expressed its concern that the incinerator purchased by the government was not compatible with this technology and would need significant additional investment to upgrade. The FOI questions the annual operating cost of this proposed upgraded incinerator as opposed to an investment in a new waste-to-energy plant.

Accompanying Mr Micallef at this meeting were working group member Stephanie Mifsud, and FOI administration manager John B. Scicluna. The government side was made up of Rita Schembri and Laura Vassallo from the Ministry of Finance, as well as Kevin Gatt, Nadja Demarco and Amanda Gauci from the Management Efficiency Unit.