The Thermal Treatment Facility known as the Incinerator, situated at Marsa held its annual open day at the weekend after recently being awarded ISO 14001 certification for the implementation of an Environmental Management System.

Up to a few years ago, incinerators in Malta were quite rudimentary with no emission abatement measures whatsoever and the Marsa based facility at is the only EU compliant incineration plant in Malta operating a complex process through abatement equipment designed to control emissions. The facility is used for the treatment of approximately six thousand tonnes of waste each year including abattoir waste, animal by-products, clinical waste and shredded wood. Almost 90% of the waste is composed of abattoir waste and animal by-products.

In the primary combustion chamber temperatures can exceed 850°C and emissions are captured and monitored constantly to ensure that there is no risk to public health. The ISO certification was awarded in December 2012 in recognition of the efficient Environmental Management System particularly in mitigating the impact on the environment and focusing on procedures relating to environmental performance. The ISO certification also guarantees that the operation of the incinerator is subject to on-going and ad-hoc inspection audits by the certifying body.

Chief Executive of WasteServ Saviour Abela, said that despite negative perceptions of such facilities, the Thermal Treatment Facility at Marsa is being well managed, with minimal impact on the environment. The CEO thanked all those who visited the facility and expressed his gratitude to the company’s employees who strive to maintain the high standards which have resulted in receiving the ISO Certification.