A Żebbuġ dump site is being cleaned up as part of what authorities say is a bigger plan that will eventually allow the town's square to be pedestrianised.

Over 5,000 tonnes of waste have been cleared from the area in Triq L-Isqof A. Buttigieg over the past 10 days.

Once cleared, the area will be converted into a temporary car park. The local council will then be applying for state agency Project Green to build an underground car park at the location, with a park on top. 

The underground parking area will mean that the Żebbuġ square can then become pedestrianised, the town's mayor Mark Camilleri said at a press conference on Wednesday. 

Żebbuġ's council has dabbled with pedestrianising the town's square in the past: it was the first council to announce car-free days back in 2020.

Camilleri was joined by Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo, Public Cleansing Parliamentary Secretary Glenn Bedingfield and the head of the public cleansing department, Ramon Deguara. 

Works to clean up the dump site and level it out are set to be complete by next week, Deguara said. 

Bedingfield said the project is an example of how local councils can work together with the central government. 

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said the Żebbuġ works are an example of the cleansing department's new machinery in use. Photo: Johnathan Borg

Bartolo said the Żebbuġ works are an example of the cleansing department's new machinery being put to use. 

"We promise to continue investing in workers and machinery to clean Malta," he said.