The Malta Environment and Planning Authority board yesterday approved an application for WasteServ Malta to develop and operate a new non-hazardous engineered waste facility at Ghallis, in the limits of Naxxar.
The facility, adjacent to the non-hazardous landfill of Ta’ Zwejra, will serve for the disposal of non-hazardous waste for seven years.
It is estimated that some 1.7 million cubic metres will be filled at a rate of about 250,000 tonnes every year.
The application was approved by way of an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) permit application, which specifies similar conditions to the ones included in the first IPPC permit for Ta’ Zewjra.
The Ghallis non-hazardous waste facility will have an environment management system (EMS) and the operators will be obliged to report on their targets as part of the Annual Environmental Report.
The installation will help prevent leakages into the sewer system and aerial emissions, although the IPPC allows for possible variation to the original permit.
Giving a presentation on the application, IPPC coordination officer Charmaine Ajao Vassallo explained that since the installation will have the potential to cause odours, which may escape beyond the installation boundary, the applicant’s proposals specify appropriate measures to prevent and minimise such odours.
She said additional environment protection is also taken into consideration in the IPPC permit and odour monitoring is included in an improvement programme.
The IPPC permit sets out a plan for the operation of the installation in compliance with IPPC regulations and others, including Waste Management Regulations, Air Quality Regulations, Groundwater Regulations, Marine Environment Regulations and those relating to discharge into sewers.
The IPPC application permit was advertised last October and was followed by a 30-day consultation period.
The application was then considered by the IPPC committee, which includes representatives from Mepa, the Public Health Department, the Malta Resources Authority, the Finance Ministry, the Malta Maritime Authority, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, the Civil Protection Department, the Agriculture and Fisheries and the Police.