The ERA Board today determined a number of applications for environmental permits. Two of the applications dealt with IPPC applications for the operation of GHallis and Zwejra landfills, and another application for interventions on trees at Mistra.

The IPPC applications addressed the installations are located at Għallis and Żwejra, limits of Naxxar. The activities carried out on both sites are within scope of Section 5.4 in Schedule 1 of the Industrial Emissions (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulation (S.L.549.77):

“5.4. Landfills as defined in the Waste Management (Landfill) Regulations (S.L.549.29) receiving more than 10 tonnes of waste per day or with a total capacity exceeding 25,000 tonnes, excluding landfills of inert waste”

The application submitted for Għallis non-hazardous landfill by WasteServ Malta Ltd covers the variation and renewal of the IPPC permit. The variation considered is related to the vertical extension of currently permitted landfill void space and the shredding of mattresses prior to landfilling.

The application submitted for Ta’ Żwejra non-hazardous landfill by WasteServ Malta Ltd covers the renewal of the IPPC permit.

The IPPC permits for both installation, cover a number of environmental obligations which the Permit Holder is to fulfil throughout the validity of the permit to ensure the required level of environmental protection and to ensure that all operations are in line with the Waste Management (Landfill) Regulations (S.L.549.29).

All documentation related to this application are available on the ERA website at www.era.org.mt

During the same board sitting the ERA Board approved an application for a Nature Permit (NP388/19) which is authorising the interventions on trees at Mistra Road, St. Paul’s Bay. The interventions include the felling of four trees, 1 of which is dead, whilst the other 3 trees are posing a danger to heavy vehicles. The authorisation is also including the light pruning of 26 trees and hard pruning of another 15 trees. The ERA has requested the applicant to compensate for the felled trees by planting 31 trees, which shall be planted at the Pinetum in Floriana.