Żurrieq landfill to be converted into family park

The area, which is roughly nine times the size of a football pitch, will be regenerated through a €4 million investment  

The landfill will see an investment of €4 million that will convert it into a family park
The landfill will see an investment of €4 million that will convert it into a family park

The Wied Fulija landfill in Żurrieq will be converted into a family park through a €4 million investment, Environment Minister Jose Herrera said on Monday.

The landfill, situated on the outskirts of Żurrieq will be converted into a wooded park, with some 45,000 plants replacing glass and construction waste which currently litters the site. Work has already begun and is expected to be completed by 2023.

Once completed, the park will make up an area of 95,000 sq. m, with Herrera saying that the project will be improving the area’s natural environment, while also providing the community with a park to enjoy.

John Luke Zarb, the project's architect, said that work on the site will first see it cleaned, before a capping layer is placed on top of the remaining waste which will provide a layer of soil for vegetation to be planted. 

Parliamentary Secretary for EU funds Aaron Farrugia said the project would be made possible through cohesion funds from the EU, which will account for 85% of the total spend on the project. He said it was part of a long-term plan by the government to utilise European funds for projects that protect Malta’s natural and marine environment.

The landfill, situated on Malta’s southern coast, started being used in 1979 before eventually being closed down in 1996.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Herrera said that while government must occasionally take land for infrastructural purposes, it also felt the need to give some back from time to time.