Mattresses and tyres will no longer be dumped in landfills but will be recycled at a multi-material recovery facility in Ħal Far inaugurated on Thursday.

In recent weeks, the multi-material recovery facility (MMRF) began processing polystyrene, tyres, textile, wood and mattresses before exporting them for recycling.  

The EU co-funded €20 million plant will process 15,000 tonnes a year, operating Monday to Friday for 10 hours a day, WasteServe circular economy chief officer Daniel Tabone said.   

But the plant can operate 24 hours a day if there is demand, Tabone said.   

But Malta still needs to do more to reach its EU recycling targets.

The plant's unveiling comes after WasteServ raised gate fees for businesses that dispose of their waste directly at its facilities in January.

Car tyres are among the materials being treated at the facility. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Fees for mixed waste dumping increased as the policy aims to incentivise separation within the commercial sector.

That separated waste was stored at the Ħal-Far plant and is now being treated.

The revised gate fee charge is not intended for WastServ to generate a “profit” but for companies to separate and dispose of their waste accordingly. 

EU environment commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, who attended the inauguration, described the new plant as “an enormous step in the right direction”. 

The project made use of €11.4 million of EU cohesion funds, more than half of the plant’s price tag. But Malta still needs to pull its socks up. 

A European Commission early warning report showed Malta at risk of missing its recycling targets, Sinkevičius said.  

Environment minister Miriam Dalli was flanked by EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius and EU funds parliamentary secretary Chris Bonnet. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Malta is among 13 member states still far from the target of a maximum of 10% of landfilling of municipal waste to be reached by 2035, the report says. 

It also put Malta among 18 member states identified as being at risk of missing the target of preparing 55% of its municipal waste for reuse and recycling.

The plant "should bring some very much needed change to the recycling situation here in Malta," Sinkevičius said. 

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said the government is prioritising waste management. 

“This government is committed to constantly work on our waste management systems as a priority, with the aim of achieving our targets to ensure a circular economy and reduce landfilled waste,” Dalli said.  

A €500 million ECOHIVE complex will include a waste-to-energy plant and will further improve the county’s waste management performance, she said.