Magħtab gases extraction drawing to a close

A project to extract and eliminate harmful gases at the former Magħtab landfill is drawing to a close and the government is allocating €30 million for the rehabilitation of the site, as well as the former landfills at Qortin and Wied Fulija, President Eddie Fenech Adami was told during a tour of Magħtab today. All three sites will be turned into parks.

The President toured the landfill where Resources Minister George Pullicino and Wastserv officials explained how the gases are extracted using 380 wells and then treated in a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO).

They said that the temperature inside the waste ‘mountain’ rises to as much as 200 degrees and underground fires still take place. The extracted gas is burnt in the RTO at a temperature of 1100 degrees. Any release of the gas into the air would cause pollution.

The minister explained that with the closure of the landfills, new waste disposal measures were being taken, including engineered landfills, the waste recycling plant and a Thermal Treatment Facility.

The ultimate aim, however, was for all waste to be separated and treated so that there would also not be any need for the engineered landfills.