A biodiesel production facility in Ħal Far was given the green light by the environment watchdog on Friday.
Oil Blenders Ltd will be allowed to add the production facility and a bio plant to its existing factory in the Ħal Far industrial estate.
In a statement, the Environment and Resources Authority said it had held a meeting in public to conclude an environmental impact assessment process on the proposal, which also includes the installation of PV panels on the facility’s roof.
The EIA report on which the authority based its assessment was requested in 2019. It was submitted to ERA in July 2021 and includes a section on the public’s feedback, ERA said.
The EIA concluded that no significant environmental impacts will result from the proposal, save for in the event of an accident, and all reasonable mitigation measures had been applied.
The authority said that the factory will have to follow a pollution prevention plan and will be required to use best practices.
ERA said it does not object to the proposal as long as various mitigation measures proposed in the EIA report, are included as conditions and specifications in the development permit.
The ERA board therefore unanimously approved the proposed extension.