The Resources Ministry has embarked on a strategic environmental assessment of the first revision of the solid waste management national strategy, which was launched yesterday.

This process consists of eight weeks of public consultation and studies on the environmental effects of the strategy. A meeting with voluntary environmental organisations was held this morning.

Minister George Pullicino and officials from the technical committee who helped draw up the revision, as well as Wasteserv officials, explained in detail the main points of the revision including the proposal for the building of another two recycling plants, one in Għallis, the other at tal-Lewż in Gozo, and an incinerator near the Delimara power station.

The meeting explained the intention to maximise waste as a resource retrieving energy from it whenever this was possible. This would reduce the waste going to the engineered landfill making this last longer.

Mr Pullicino emphasised that the government wanted to carry out the necessary investment for the country to have the best and cleanest technology facilities.

He said that Malta had advanced a lot in waste management, so much so that while €280,000 were spent on landfills in 1996, the expense had now surpassed €6 million.

It was important at this stage that an agreement was reached in principle on the aims of the strategy and for there to be more incentives to encourage further recycling. The polluter pays principle had to remain the basis of the strategy, he said.

The minister appealed to the organisations to participate in the process. The revision of the solid waste management national stragety can be accessed online at www.wastestrategy.gov.mt.