Waste generated in 2016 increases by 5.7% over 2015

● Hazardous wast increased by 175.9%

The total amount of solid waste generated in 2016 amounted to just under 2 million tonnes, up by 5.7% over the previous year, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

Hazardous waste increased by 175.9% (87,194 tonnes) over 2015 while non-hazardous waste advanced by 1.1%t (20,398 tonnes) over 2015.

Waste treatment registered a drop of 10.5% (200,827 tonnes) over the same period. This has occurred due to a decrease of 42.4% (207,470 tonnes) in recycled waste, mainly originating from construction, demolition and excavation waste. In 2016, 55.3% of the total waste treatment was by means of backfilling of inert mineral waste from construction, demolition and quarrying activities.

In 2016, the Malta North Mechanical-Biological Treatment plant became fully operational following an initial testing phase which commenced in December 2015. During the year under review the plant had an output of 38,324 tonnes, 80.4% of which were landfilled at Għallis.

The total amount of waste disposed at the Għallis landfill in 2016 increased marginally by 0.5%.

Landfilled household and similar wastes decreased by 26.7% (47,538 tonnes) while sorting residues increased by 86% (33,989 tonnes) primarily as a result of the operations of the Malta North Mechanical-Biological Treatment plant.

Treated waste output from the Sant’Antnin waste treatment plant increased by 27.6% in 2016 (15,216 tonnes). The main contributors towards this increase were sorting residues going to landfill (6,230 tonnes), sorting residues going to storage (4,649 tonnes) and sludge and liquid waste from waste treatment going to landfill (1,703 tonnes). The output of recyclables (paper, metals, plastic, glass) which are exported for recycling increased as well by 24.3% (2,348 tonnes).

The output of waste from private waste management facilities and brokers in 2016 increased by 112.4% (89,831 tonnes). The output of hazardous waste advanced by 97,790 tonnes, while the output of non-hazardous waste declined by 7,958 tonnes. This development was mainly the result of the output of discarded vehicles (110,356 tonnes) comprising both motor vehicles and sea vessels. The latter did not occur in the previous years while for motor vehicles it was recorded under other waste categories mainly ferrous metallic wastes.

Inert waste treatment in 2016 decreased by 19.1% (294,286 tonnes). Major decreases were noted for mineral waste from construction and demolition where the backfilled amount went down by 4.7% (43,283 tonnes) and the recycled amount decreased by 43% (210,197 tonnes).

In 2016, the separate collection of waste fractions from Civic amenity sites increased by 2,443 tonnes (8.9%). This was followed by the increase of 2,187 tonnes (14.7%) of waste that was collected by means of the green/grey bag and glass collection from households. The waste that was collected from bring-in sites continued on the downward trend that has been ongoing since 2014, decreasing by 4.7% (125 tonnes) over 2015.