Developers again call for enduring solution to dumping of construction waste

The Malta Developers Association says unless a solution is found there will be 'major stalling of progress' in the construction industry across the country

2 June 2021, 10:21am
by Laura Calleja

2 min read

The pace of development has created more construction waste and raised concerns over where it can be dumped

The Malta Developers Association (MDA) has warned that unless an imminent and enduring solution is found to the dumping of construction waste, development will come to an “almost complete standstill.”

The association said that it is currently holding “intense discussions” with the government to find a solution.

“There has been a patchwork of attempted solutions along the years in a bid to solve the problem. However, none have proved to be effective long term. The problem has lately been accentuated by the fact that major roadworks have taken place generating a considerable amount of waste, adding on to the surmounting pressures surrounding the issue,” the MDA said.

MDA director-general Deborah Schembri said the current situation was “untenable” and called for a solution “without undue delay.”

During a meeting with Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia, she presented to him a set of proposals with short and long-term solutions to resolve the impasse. The MDA statement did not state what its solutions are.

“A follow-up meeting with the minister has been set for the coming days during which government has promised to highlight a way forward,” the association said.

However, the MDA said it was looking for a long-lasting solution, which would have immediate results and not jeopardise the livelihood of one of the most productive sectors of the Maltese economy.

The same issue arose last year, when the government roads agency, Infrastructure Malta, had ordered all road works to stop because of a lack of dumping space and the high price set by the few quarry owners who were accepting the waste.

Eventually, the government intervened and imposed a fixed €12 per tonne disposal fee for construction waste at the Wied Incita quarry in Attard.

Last year, the Environment Minister did not exclude disposing construction waste at sea. However, he had insisted that there was still ample quarry space for the dumping of building waste, but that not all quarries were open to accepting debris disposal.

Laura Calleja is features editor at MaltaToday