Work Begins On New €75 Million Processing Plant

Construction of Malta's new Organic Processing Plant has officially begun, marking a significant milestone in one of the country's largest waste management projects.

Site mobilisation, excavation works and the construction of a perimeter retaining wall are already underway, while detailed engineering and process design for the facility continues in parallel.

The project represents a total investment of €75 million, including around €45 million in co-financing from the European Union Cohesion Fund.

According to the Government, the facility forms part of its electoral programme and is expected to play a key role in strengthening Malta's transition towards a circular economy.

Minister for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli, Minister for European Funds Keith Azzopardi Tanti and WasteServ Chief Executive Officer Richard Bilocca visited the site to inspect the progress of the works.

Minister Dalli described the start of construction as an important milestone, saying the new plant will enable Malta to recover more resources, generate more renewable energy and continue developing a stronger circular economy.

Minister Azzopardi Tanti highlighted the contribution of European funding towards major national infrastructure projects.

He said the €45 million in European co-financing demonstrates how EU funds can be invested in projects that address Malta's needs while treating waste as a valuable resource capable of producing clean energy and compost.

Once completed, the new facility will increase Malta's annual organic waste treatment capacity from around 36,000 tonnes to more than 74,000 tonnes.

It is also expected to boost electricity generation from organic waste from the current 8.5 GWh to as much as 20 GWh each year, while producing larger quantities of high-quality compost.

The plant will incorporate advanced technology and greater automation to improve efficiency, operational performance and environmental protection.

WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca said the project is progressing according to schedule. He said excavation works are underway using specialised machinery designed to reduce noise and vibration, while excavated material is being reused on site where possible.

The Organic Processing Plant is expected to be completed within two years and will become a key component of WasteServ's ECOHIVE strategy.

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Photo Source: DOI - Alan Saliba