Updated 5.30pm with MDA statement
Debris and construction waste by the truckload is being dumped illegally in a pristine valley outside Mġarr.
As the island’s construction rush continues unabated, the only two quarries receiving demolition waste recently doubled their tariffs, going against an
agreement signed with the government last February.
To circumvent the problem, some contractors appear to be resorting to illegal dumping
The environment minister in a reaction to a report about the dumping in the Times of Malta print edition, said he had ordered a clean-up and more enforcement.
The Malta Developers Association condemned the practice and said it would help the authorities find the perpetrators.
Times of Malta on Wednesday visited the Mselliet valley (Il-Wied tal-Imselliet), which is situated just below San Andrea School, in the limits of Mġarr.
While there, several truckloads of construction waste were seen being dumped across the valley.
“This has been happening for the past few days now,” a farmer who was tilling his fields in the area said.
He said unmarked construction trucks were entering the valley in broad daylight and disposing of tonnes of what appeared to be material and waste that had just been excavated.
Another farmer said: “This is surely illegal because the waste being thrown away includes all types of material, such as limestone, tiles, sinks and parts of wooden apertures.
“It’s barbaric and shows how law enforcement on this island is being turned upside down,” he complained, warning this newspaper not to mention his name for fear of retribution.
He said he hoped children returning to school next week would not see this mess. “It’s a very bad thing to witness for our future generations.”
Two of the island’s leading private schools, San Anton and San Andrea, regularly use the valley for outings and to take students for environmental studies.
In a tweet following the story on Times of Malta, Environment Minister Jose' Herrera said that what had happened was unacceptable. He said he had asked the AmbjentMalta to clean up the zone and the Environment Authority to take enforcement action.
Last week, Times of Malta reported that the operators of the only two dumping quarries currently in operation, one at Għar Lapsi and the other in Mqabba, almost doubled the cost, from €8 to €15 per tonne of waste.
This is in violation of an agreement that was announced by Dr Hererra last February when he promised that the fee would remain stable at €8 per tonne for at least one and a half years.
While the minister put the blame on the industry and the Malta Developers’ Association for failing to stick to the agreement, the MDA said the situation of construction waste disposal was coming to a head and also warned of an imminent crisis if the administration continued to avoid making tough decisions. These included decisions on land reclamation, it insisted.
Times of Malta is informed that while the two quarries will soon reach their maximum capacity, others licensed to receive construction material are not ready to do so due to operational problems.
Meanwhile, Dr Herrera has threatened to confiscate licensed quarries that lie on government-owned land and use them for dumping.
MDA condemns dumping
In a statement on Thursday, the Malta Developers Association condemned the illegal dumping of construction waste.
Concerns about the adverse effect of such dumping, it said, had lately increased and were legitimate.
It added that although it understood the difficulties related to the dumping of construction waste, it took a very serious view against illegal dumping.
The association appealed to the government and the authorities to take severe action against the perpetrators, who, it said, should face drastic consequences for their criminal actions.
It proposed the suspension of licences of the vehicles used for such dumping.
The MDA said it will be co-operating with the authorities in their quest to find the perpetrators.