Friends of the Earth (Malta) has noted with concern recent declarations by the Government and the opposition regarding land reclamation. FoE (Malta) strongly recommends that stone be seen as a valuable natural resource of the Maltese Islands. It should therefore be used in a sensible and sustainable manner first prior to resorting to dumping it at sea. On the contrary, land reclamation is an end of pipeline solution that does not tackle the root of the problem. Our country generates considerable amounts of C&D waste as a result of irresponsible wastage at the excavation and processing stage. In fact, based...
Alternatives to temple landfills not studied
Friends of the Earth (Malta) is reviewing the EIS on the temporary engineered landfills presented by SLR last week and has already noticed serious shortcomings in the study. Apart from details, the SLR EIS does not properly weigh up all the possible alternatives to the proposed sites, as expected following the EIS’s terms of reference. The site selection exercise that was accepted by Minister Ninu Zammit was carried out over three days and was conducted by people lacking expertise in heritage and sociological matters. Heritage Malta has clearly stated that any landfill in the vicinity of the Hagar Qim and...
Proponents of incinerators should prove their point
The discussion about landfills has sent several people scurrying to suggest that incineration, or a similar technology is adopted instead of landfills as a solution for waste disposal. Friends of the Earth Malta has opposed incineration and other similar end of pipe solutions for a number of years and will continue to resist this type of solution for domestic and industrial waste. Those proposing incineration should realise that Malta does not have an option between an incinerator and a landfill since, even if incineration is adopted, Malta will need an EU standard engineered landfill, albeit a smaller one. Nevertheless incineration...
FoE Malta’s submissions on terms of reference for EIA for GF 3627/03 Restoration of quarries by infilling with Inert & non-hazardous waste Qrendi and Siggiewi
The terms of reference for the above application should consider as a minimum: the zero option: ie that the so-called interim landfills are not necessary and the option of using Maghtab until another site is determined for Malta’s landfill is selected and prepared to accept separated waste that if it is found that Malta cannot do without interim landfills – a suggestion that we strongly contest – then that all possible alternative sites are considered and weighed up against the chosen sites; used quarries should be studied as well as other possible sites including those considered as Malta’s more permanent...
Consultants said not to worry about Maghtab
In January of this year consultants Scott Wilson addressed NGOs in a meeting chaired by then minister Francis Zammit Dimech and said that the Maghtab dump was not worrying. Although FoE Malta has its reservations about the experts statements, Scott Wilson said that according to their studies of the impacts of the site, there was little danger from leachate, and levels of air and sea pollution were of no danger to human health. Friends of the Earth asked Scott Wilson to conduct their studies at different times of the years, and Scott Wilson promised this, although we were told not...
FoE objects to idea and choice of ‘temporary’ sites
FoE Malta would like to meet the minister responsible for resources to discuss the idea that Malta needs two landfill sites before using the one planned in its waste management strategy. When discussions were being held in preparation for Malta’s waste management strategy, FoE (Malta) had shown that the estimates of waste arisings were exaggerated, and had pointed out that a landfill the size of the one proposed at Ghallis was not necessary. Waste management personnel accepted FoE Malta’s points and it was agreed that besides Ghallis and Benghajsa, other possible landfill sites would be considered. Now that Ghallis has...
Temporary landfills should be avoided
The plans to have temporary landfills should be avoided, Friends of the Earth said today. The government should make public the studies that have been carried out on the permanent landfill site, and start work on the most acceptable site as soon as possible. In the meantime, waste separation at source should take off in as many localities as possible with the full cooperation and support of the Local Councils, FoE’s waste campaigner said. If Ghallis is really the best possible site, the process to excavate the first cell should be speeded up so that it can be ready to accept waste by May 2004. Provided enough...
Oil Dumping at Maghtab
The authorities handling of the dumping of oil from the ‘Kronviken’ leaves much to be desired, Friends of the Earth Malta said today. Unknown to most of the public and certainly to the NGOs ships arriving in Malta have been dumping their sludge oil at Maghtab. This is an unacceptable situation and the government should ensure that such oil is not mixed with other waste haphazardly as has been the case in the past decades. The authorities should investigate possibilities of re-using such oil and treating the remains separately. Friends of the Earth calls on the authorities to make public...
Save that oil
Friends of the Earth (Malta) urges all catering establishments that normally throw away used vegetable oil to get in touch with Edible Oil Refining Co Ltd so that used oil can be collected for the production of biodiesel. Legal Notice 8/93 (sewer discharge regulations) stipulates that all catering establishments should install a grease trap in order to prevent the blocking of sewers with grease and fat. At present most of the collected grease ends up at Maghtab and what is not collected ends up in the sea. Edible oil is offering a service whereby oil is collected to make biodeisel. Biodiesel...
Government should go for two-way
Given that Malta does not seem likely to obtain derogation to retain glass for soft drinks, the government should now push for a two-way bottling system for all beverages. A two-way system for beverages will mean much less waste will end up on our dumps and Malta already has an excellent track record collecting and refilling beverage bottles. The alternative – staring Malta in the face at the moment – would be the loss of several hundred jobs and the prospect of adding 80million+ plastic bottles to our already large volume of waste that has to be disposed of. Friends...