With reference to the letter from Steve Borg, PRO Moviment Favur il-Harsien tal-Wied tal-Maghluq (TMID, 19 July), WasteServ would like to clarify various incorrect statements and misinterpretations made by the correspondent.
Mr Borg conveniently quotes parts of the EIA and alternative sites assessment but expediently fails to mention the true reasons why the alternative site at Il-Mara, limits of Benghajsa, was not suitable for the development of a composting and recycling facility. It is certainly not the case that the site at Il-Mara has been discarded because of hunting and bird trapping, as the correspondent insinuates.
The same paragraph from which Mr Borg selectively chose to quote also makes it crystal clear that the site had a number of ecological and visual impacts since “the site would require significant access improvements. The site is set within a level 2 designated ecological site. The establishment of the facility would impact negatively upon this existing beneficial land use by compromising the integrity of the ecological site – both as a result of the facility itself and the required access to it.
“The site is set on a prominent and high location within a relatively attractive rural landscape adjacent to the coastal cliffs. Views of the facility would impact negatively upon visual amenity. The site is also at the southernmost extremity of Malta with concomitant inefficiencies for access. Greater distances would need to be travelled to access the site, with a consequent increase in exposure to nuisance impacts for sensitive receptors en route.”
This extract makes it clear that the alternative site does not favour trappers or for that matter anyone living in a particular locality. It is absurd that the correspondent should pick on one sentence and create a conspiracy theory out of it when it is stated in black and white that the site in question was not feasible for reasons other than bird trapping.
WasteServ has discussed this project with various stakeholders and a number of suggestions made by these organisations have been included for the benefit of all those concerned. It is indeed ironic that Mr Borg, who repeatedly mentions that his organisation has a duty to inform the public, to defend the environment and champion improvement, ignores the fact that WasteServ is proposing a much needed modern facility for a radical improvement in waste management. Nowhere does Mr Borg mention that our country will finally be able to recycle waste, to produce valuable compost while also providing electricity from a renewable source. In Mr Borg’s own words, this is truly the absurdity, the anathema and the inconsistency.
Dr Christopher Ciantar
Head of Strategy and Development Unit
WasteServ Malta Ltd
Santa Venera