Partit Demokratiku has called on the government to provide budgetary measures to address the issue of re-using construction waste, while also calling on the Planning Authority and the Environment Resource Authority regulate the area of operations.

"​Construction waste is a resource not a waste," PD pointed out. "Malta still lacks a construction sustainability strategy, despite having a Sustainable Development Strategy - 2050."

The party recalled how it has been asking government to draw up a long-term strategy.

Land reclamation, it said, is not a solution of a cyclical economy and "in this respect, government lacks vision."

Deputy leader Timothy Alden said, "There are only 16 potential quarries that can be possibly refilled with construction waste. The long-term solution lies in regulating the way earth excavation and demolishing of building is performed."

PD's Marcus Lauri adds, "The take-make-throw away attitude is no way forward in construction waste, especially since stone is a non-renewable resource. We have depleted our limestone as a precious resource. It is time that this is recovered rather than savagely bull-dosed through during demolition.

"All building material and products can be reused in another form thus reducing waste," he further added.

Party leader Godfrey Farrugia added, "It is useless having the lobbyist Malta Developers Association crying wolf when, by means of construction sustainability, raw material can be conserved by re-use and recyclability. In so doing we will also reduce energy and CO2-emissions for production, manufacturing and reduction of waste."