Old Luqa waste dump to be ‘mined’

The former waste dump in Luqa will be ‘mined’ and its material recycled so that the land can be put to good use

The disused waste dump in Luqa will be rehabilitated
The disused waste dump in Luqa will be rehabilitated

It stands like a small mountain covered with wild vegetation in the outskirts of Luqa but now the former waste dump will be “mined” and cleared.

The dump, which stopped being used decades ago, will be rehabilitated after an agreement was reached between Wasteserv and Malta Industrial Parks.

Landfill mining will be used to dissect the dump and extract the waste for eventual recycling, or treatment, Environment Minister Jose Herrera said on Thursday.

“Studies have shown that there are no inbuilt gases, no hazardous or toxic materials and so mining will be employed to uncover the waste so that where possible it is recycled,” Herrera said. The rehabilitation process will be carried out with full consideration to existing operations in the vicinity of the site, he added.

The agreement between the two government agencies was signed today and the rehabilitation process is expected to last two years.

After the site is cleared, the government will issue a masterplan for the area.

Economy Minister Chris Cardona said part of the site will be used as an extension to the Marsa industrial zone, part of it for sports facilities and the rest will be landscaped.