[WATCH] Works on Magħtab waste recycling facility enter final stages

A new facility that will process recyclable waste at Magħtab is reaching its final stages, making it possible for the Marsaskala recycling plant to close soon.

The facility is part of Wasteserv’s Ecohive complex at Magħtab and will be able to process up to 40,000 tonnes of recyclable waste.

This will lead to the closure of WasteServ’s Sant’Antnin facility in Marsaskala, where, 20,000sq.m of land will be transformed into a public open space.

The Magħtab facility has cost €4 million and is partly funded by the EU. It will sort the different types of metal, cardboard, and plastic using specially designed machinery.

Increased automation will improve processing efficiency from 30% to 70% of these materials since the waste will no longer be separated manually, WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca said.

Bilocca accompanied Environment Minister Miriam Dalli and EU funds parliamentary secretary Chris Bonett, during a visit of ongoing works.

“This is another step forward as part of the government’s long-term plan for the years to come, by recycling, converting waste into energy, and treating all the waste produced, in order to drastically reduce the use of landfills,” Dalli said.

She added that the new facility will enable the creation of a large public open space in Marsaskala instead of the recycling plant.

Bonett said the Magħtab project will help strengthen the circular economy and continue to give priority to the environmental sector. “The investment that is being made is not only in line with national and European policy but also forms part of the initiatives being taken by WasteServ,” he said.

The project, which is being partially financed by the EU as part of the Cohesion Fund, will build on the €500 million investment in the Ecohive project that includes the construction of an incinerator and an organic waste processing plant.