Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd

Client: WasteServ Malta Ltd

Start / Finish Dates:  August 2010 – October 2011

In 2004, WasteServ applied for the development of a controlled landfill and ancillary facilities (PA 04834/04) at Ghallis and full development permission was granted in 2006. In March 2010 WasteServ submitted a Project Description Statement (PDS) that included a number of changes to the original master plan as approved in PA 04834/04 and included the installation of a Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant. The proposed development comprised the following elements as described in the PDS:

• Extension of Zwejra Cell 1;
• Extension of Zwejra Cell 3;
• Closure plan for Ta’ Zwejra;
• Construction of a service road along the western perimeter of the waste management complex;
• Sanctioning of the extension of the temporary Ghallis Site office;
• Extension of the northern bund and the Ghallis engineered landfill;
• Setting up of a fence;
• Re-orientation of hazardous waste cell;
• Introduction of photo voltaics and micro wind turbines;
• Introduction of a bulky storage refuse area (non-hazardous waste storage);
• Introduction of an engineered separator between Maghtab and Ghallis;
• Re-location of wheel wash;
• Embellishment scheme;
• Introduction of a bridle path for equestrian activities;
• The establishment of a pre-landfilling Mechanical Treatment Plant (MTP); and
• The establishment of a Biological Treatment Plant (AD).

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) addressed potential impacts in relation to the following:

• impacts on the geo-environment, 
• impacts on the landscape and visual amenity,
• impacts on the agriculture through the loss of agricultural land and protected trees,
• impacts on cultural heritage due to the loss of some features from the Scheme and the threat to other features during the construction phase,
• noise and vibration effects during both construction and operation (including noise from operational traffic);
• impacts from emissions to air;
• social impacts were assessed through a social impacts assessment, which identified and addressed the potential effects of the project, and
• a risk assessment.

The EIA proposed a set of mitigation measures to reduce the impacts created by the development both during the construction and operational phases.

Keywords:  Environmental Impact Assessment, Mechanical Treatment Plant, Biological Treatment Plant