Opposition against Mellieħa manure plant gaining ground

Mellieħa’s mayor has demanded answers over a proposed €511 million agricultural waste treatment concession in Qammieħ, saying neither the local council nor residents were consulted before the government launched the process.

At the same time, hydrologist and environmental consultant Marco Cremona has also criticised the location, adding to concerns previously raised by former tourism minister Clayton Bartolo.

Mellieha mayor Gabriel Micallef said the project would be brought before the council, which would submit questions and formally request information and full consultation from the authorities.

“When was this decision taken? When did the Cabinet approve such a project?” the mayor asked, also questioning whether alternative sites had been considered and whether Parliament had discussed the proposal.

The planned facility would occupy approximately 19,000 square metres beside the existing wastewater treatment plant and process up to 350,000 tonnes of agricultural waste annually.

Earlier this week, The Shift reported that Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta – a government satellite agency – is seeking a private concessionaire to design, finance, build and operate the facility for 25 years before transferring it back. The €511 million represents the estimated concession value, with capital investment estimated at €70 million to €90 million.

Marco Cremona argued through a social media post that locating the plant in Mellieħa would require transporting manure from farming areas elsewhere, including Żejtun, Mqabba, Siġġiewi and Rabat.

He questioned the impact of an estimated 30 large slurry bowsers travelling daily from Żejtun to Mellieħa past Għadira.

Cremona also challenged the economics of Malta’s pig industry, calling for an assessment that accounts for imported feed, groundwater extraction, waste treatment, carcass disposal and environmental damage.

His intervention broadens a dispute already encompassing traffic, odours, tourism and residents’ quality of life.

Former Labour Minister Clayton Bartolo had questioned the site selection and consultation, saying he discovered the project by chance.

The mayor insisted residents must have a say: “Mellieħa is not a place where decisions can be taken behind residents’ backs.”