Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino made a bold statement this week.

During a discussion programme on Super One TV, recorded in Marsascala on Monday and broadcast a day later, Mr Pullicino promised that the Sant’ Antnin Waste Recycling Plant would be closed if the situation there became worse, after the proposed redevelopment and upgrading takes place in the years to come.

He was constantly pressed into giving guarantees that the project would not be harmful to the environment and to the health of residents in Marsascala and nearby areas. To this, Mr Pullicino replied: “I find no problem in guaranteeing that if the situation at the Sant’ Antnin plant worsens after the development, we will close it down. I find no problem with this, since I am confident that the situation there will improve. We are not so crazy as to invest e17 million in something which is going to be worse than what we have today.”

On this issue, Mr Pullicino has put his own head – and that of the government – on the block.

Some will say that he could not do otherwise, because refusing to give such a guarantee would have been tantamount to admitting that the government was still unsure what the outcome of the development project will be.

On the other hand, Minister Pullicino has shown that he has confidence in what his ministry and WasteServ plan to do at the plant.

Marsascala residents – and those who live in the vicinity – have every right to feel concerned. Nobody really wants to have a waste recycling plant on their doorstep.

They have done their best to convince the government not to go ahead with its plans, and although it is likely that the project will proceed, the minister’s guarantee should give them the assurance they want that things will get better. Otherwise, the plant will be closed down and, most probably, the minister will have to resign as well.

There are several issues that made Marsascala’s residents angry. They felt the Malta Environment and Planning Authority was misled by the fact that the original application specified an area of 18,000 square metres, but this was later extended to 47,000 square metres, meaning that only one site, Sant’ Antnin, was available at this point. There were also concerns that the environmental impact assessment was incomplete and that traffic in and out of their area would increase.

For its part, WasteServ has pledged that no more than 71,000 tonnes of waste will be treated at the plant and that recyclable organic waste will be processed in an enclosed area. The risks that have been present since the plant’s opening will be removed and the air quality will improve, says WasteServ. The plant will also be brought in line with EU standards and will provide 1,400 homes with electricity.

Last Thursday, the Mepa board gave the outline development plan of the project the green light. The next step is the issue or otherwise of the environmental permit, which will address all mitigation measures outlined in the environmental impact statement, and any other relevant issues. The final stage will be the full development permit, following which, if approved, work will start.

It is now imperative for the government and WasteServ to continue with their information campaign on the plans for the plant. Although a lot has been said – repeatedly – since the government’s intentions became known, the residents of the area have the right to know what is going on.

More importantly, the government must stick to what it has said on the matter. It has now given a guarantee that things will be better, and it must ensure that this is the case.