Waste processing should get a boost from an autoclave that is going to be added to the incinerator at Marsa.

Explaining to the Mepa board that approved the application, WasteServ officials explained that the autoclave will add significantly to the incinerator’s throughput.

As it is, without an autoclave to help it, the incinerator processes 13,000 tons per year, but it has to have its maintenance periods. Besides, the autoclave prepares materials to be incinerated so the incinerator uses less fuel to do so. Thirdly, the autoclave can function as a reserve incinerator. Fourthly, it runs on the steam generated by the incinerator so it is also energy efficient. Fifthly, the range of materials that can be incinerated gets widened with the autoclave and not just dead carcasses of animals from the abattoir next door.

The autoclave will have two lines – one for the most hazardous waste and the second for other kinds of waste. The construction of the autoclave is being funded by ERDF and should take around 18 months. When this phase is completed, there should be a second one which will increase the stores where materials waiting to be incinerated can be stored and a warehouse expropriated so that a road will offer better access.

Earlier, the Mepa board also approved an application for two small extensions to the storm water tunnel between Zabbar and Marsascala. The extensions, 28 metres under road level, will enable the tunnel to get more storm waters from nearer the centre of Zabbar.

The only problem here is the existence of some wartime shelters which are known to be there from the plans at the Works Department but the access to which has proved impossible to find despite digging by government workers and asking neighbours who lived there at the time of the war. Anyway, the tunnel will be far below the level of the shelter and the rainwater conduits (spralli) will not go near the shelters.