Gozo’s largest illegal scrapyard located within the limits of Xewkija was early today the subject of a direct action operation by the Planning Authority (PA).

The authority said in a statement that it used heavy vehicles to start removing what is considered as one of Gozo’s largest ‘scars’. The illegal scrapyard, measuring an area of over 15,000m2 and situated along Triq Il-Kav. Lorenzo Zammit Haber has for a number of years grown into an unmanageable dumping site accepting all kinds of industrial and domestic goods. The yard is full of scrap cars, trucks, tyres, white good and electronic equipment.

The contravenor ignored the Authority’s enforcement notices and warnings. Truck loads of dumped material has started being carted away to licenced waste management sites. The operation which will carry on in the coming days seeks to entirely clear the illegal activity and dumped material from the sites, whilst returning them back to their original state. No development permissions were ever issued on this site.

Prior to the operation, the Authority worked with other entities including ERA and WasteServe to ensure the proper disposal of the material carted away. The Planning Authority’s Direct Action team is being assisted by members of the Rapid Intervention Unit of the Police Force. The costs of the operation will be shouldered by the contravenor.

The Authority draws the attention of the public, that dilapidated vehicles and other similar waste must only be disposed of, in a responsible manner through licensed waste facilities.