The European Commission confirmed that waste to energy facilities have a role to play in a circular economy context. Replying to European Parliament question on whether having a waste-to-energy facility is in line with the European circular economy goals, the European Commission said that such technologies can ‘provide an appropriate management treatment for non-recyclable residual waste that avoids landfilling’. In fact significant portions of ‘municipal waste could in theory be energy recovered’.  

WasteServ is currently implementing the largest ever investment in Malta’s waste management history that will transform the Island’s setup to a circular economy one.  The waste-to-energy plant is part of a comprehensive strategy to improve the waste sector in Malta through which all waste streams will be used to their maximum potential.

In addition to the waste-to-energy plant, other plants such as an organic processing plant with agricultural compost production facilities and a fully-fledged material recovery facility for dry recyclables are also being developed. This work ties in with the overarching work being conducted by the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning which amongst other ambitious tasks is currently finalising a reformed Waste Management Policy. Four facilities are being developed and as part of a circular economy vision, they will be addressing various environmental needs related to waste management when at the same time producing essential resources that would otherwise have gone to waste.

These projects are in addition to other leaps towards a better environmental performance such as the recent export of 6,550 tonnes of glass and the commissioning of a dry recyclable line which will also increase Malta’s recycling performance significantly.