The planned Thermal Treatment Facility and Waste-to-Energy plant are expected to produce a total of around 27,000 tonnes of ash each year, according to figures provided by Energy Minister Miriam Dalli in response to a question posed by Nationalist Party MP Claudette Buttigieg.

Buttigieg had asked Minister Dalli in Parliament to state how many tonnes of ash will be produced per day by the waste-to-energy and hazardous waste incinerators, as well as to indicate what plan Wasteserv has to dispose of toxic material from the plants without danger to the health of residents.

Dalli replied that in its operation, the Thermal Treatment Facility is expected to produce 850 tonnes of bottom ash and 170 tonnes of fly ash per year, while the Waste-to-Energy plant is expected to produce 22,700 tonnes of bottom ash and 3,400 tonnes of fly ash per year. She added that any fly ash produced will need to be exported. With that said, she stated that in regard to the bottom ash, the necessary tests will need to be carried out in order to determine whether it is to be exported, disposed of locally, or potentially reused, depending on its characteristics. Bottom ash is non-combustible residue of combustion in an incinerator. 

The Malta Independent spoke with Buttigieg, who commented that she has not stopped asking questions about the planned plants, "as it is my duty to do so". She made mention of an expert who approached her to discuss the matter, and she said that it was indicated to her that the major question in this situation should be in regard to the ash generated by the plants.

"We are going to have two incinerators, which deal with two different types of waste... These incinerators are going to generate two types of ash, the fly ash, which goes out the chimney and which Wasteserv is saying, according to its studies, will be close to negligible due to the use of filters, and then there is the bottom ash, which is quite a substantial amount," Buttigieg said, as she remarked that "two massive incinerators burning 24/7 all-year-round" are going to generate a large amount of ash.

Referring to Minister Dalli's comments regarding how fly ash will need to be exported, Buttigieg stated that Dalli is essentially saying that the fly ash is so toxic that there is no facility in which it can be kept in Malta. In regard to the bottom ash, Buttigieg continued that Dalli's statement that some of it can be reused depending on its characteristics, as determined by tests, is something that the government needs to be very careful about. Buttigieg said that ash which is not too toxic can be used with things such as asphalt or concrete, but she added that one needs to be very careful because if it is too toxic and is used on roads, then there is a great risk of toxic rainwater going into the water table, "opening another pandora's box".

Buttigieg said that according to an expert, 27,000 tonnes of ash is equivalent to around 27,000 cubic metres of ash. She added that she has submitted a new parliamentary question, asking the minister to confirm whether this calculation is correct, as well as to state where the ash that needs to be exported will be exported to, and is awaiting a reply.

"How will this material be exported? Where will it be stored until it is exported? This is highly toxic. Where are we putting it? Is it going to be stored somewhere at Maghtab until it is exported?" Questioned the PN MP, as she added that there is no area near Maghtab where a ship can come in and load the ash, which she said means that the ash would have to be transported across the island with around 1,500 20-foot shipping containers.

Buttigieg questioned how the government can tell residents that there is no problem if the government does not know what the byproduct of such a process is going to be. "They still need to test the bottom ash to determine if it needs to be exported, so they don't know how toxic it is." She also questioned where the ash that needs to be disposed of locally will be placed.

The PN MP said that there is a group of residents, around 300 families, who are expressing a lot of worry in regard to this situation. "These people are not stupid, you don't just tell them that it's going to be okay and expect them to shut up. These are people from the areas of Naxxar, Maghtab, Birguma, San Pawl Tat-Targa, and Bahar ic-Caghaq. They are very angry that they are being treated this way," Buttigieg stated, adding that "you cannot be expected to shut up when living so close to something so dangerous".

Buttigieg concluded that the problem is being shifted from what the people know, which is waste in general, to something "far more dangerous" that people do not know much about, that being ash. She added that the situation is a very serious one and said that she thinks the government is making a huge mistake by not addressing the problem.