The Mepa board yesterday afternoon approved an an application to set up a composting plant as part of a large waste facility in the limits of Luqa, near the Easygas facility and around 170m from St Vincent de Paule Residence.

The project is part of the SCOW project, funded by EU funds, in which nine countries are taking part.

It involves a rather small composter, suitable for a small community, which will handle food waste etc from hotels, homes for the elderly,etc.

The machine will take six wheelie bins a day and turn them into compost. It will only produce 150 tons of compost a year.

It works on the principle of aerobic decomposition and can take such leftovers as fruit, vegetables, bread etc but neither meat nor fish.

Any odour problem can originate only from wheelie bins that have been left waiting before the processing, so it is essential to have the system carefully planned and monitored.

Board member Prof.Victor Axiaq asked about the impact on St Vincent de Paule residence but Jimmy Magro on behalf of the Local Councils Association said the residence is likely to be one of the clients of this service rather than an objector.

Mr Magro also said there is a similar plant operated by Wasteserv at Ta' Qali to process the leftovers of the Pitkalija and a small one at ITS which has never worked.