More than two out of every three applications for grants to buy more environmentally-friendly construction equipment have been approved, the developers’ lobby has noted.

The Malta Developers Association said it was very pleased to see that 69 out of 94 applications had been deemed worthy of funding.

The €4 million scheme offers applicants cash grants of up to €200,000 covering 40 per cent of their investment to scrap old machinery and replace it with low emission equivalents.

Applicants who apply to buy hybrid equipment can claim up to 50 per cent of costs, rising up to 60 per cent for electric-powered equipment.

In a statement, the Malta Developers Association said that it had proposed the scheme in order to cut the carbon footprint of the construction sector, transition operators to eco-friendly operations and bring the industry in line with future needs.

It thanked the government, scheme operators Malta Enterprise and all the companies that took part in the scheme.

MDA vice-president Denise Micallef Xuereb, who also chairs the association’s contractors committee, said the investment would also help reduce noise pollution.

"This scheme is not to add new machinery to an existing fleet but to replace certified and existing machinery with environmentally-friendly equipment whilst scrapping the existing,” she said.

“I am sure that this will motivate more companies to undertake similar investments. As MDA we fully support any similar initiatives as it is only through such measures that we can start making a real difference together.”