Qortin Family Park in Gozo to be “opened in the coming weeks” – Minister

by Gozo News · February 7, 2022

The Qortin Family Park in Xaghra, on the site of the former Gozo landfill, is to be “officially opened and will be accessible to Gozitan families and all those who visit Gozo in the coming weeks.”

This was said by Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia, in reply to a parliamentary question, by the Opposition Spokesperson for Gozo Chris Said.

The MP had asked among other things, whether work on the former landfill site was near completion and when it would be opened to the public.

Farrugia responded that “works on this site have been completed, all except for small works on the outside of the former landfill which are currently being concluded.”

The Minister also said that the park will continue to be operated by Wasteserv (Malta) Ltd. and that there will be no need to increase the number of employees. The landfill closed in 2004, following which the waste from Gozo was sent across to Malta.

In answer to a request from Chris Said regarding the number of people working on the site, Farrugia presented a table on those who have worked at Qortin for the last seven years, Between 2016-2021, there were three workers each year – a Gozo operations coordinator, Operator and Heavy Plant Driver. In 2014 and 2015 there were 23 workers each year – 1 Fitter, 1 Gozo operations coordinator, 4 Heavy Plant Drivers, 1 Security, 2 Van Drivers, 10 Waste Sorters, 1 Weighbridge Operator and 3 CA sites operators.

WasteServ, writing about the work at Qortin, says that “the rehabilitation and restoration of the Qortin landfill was achieved through the installation of an engineered capping and the planting of nearly 23,000 indigenous trees and shrubs.”

It explains that,“he sprawling five hectares of land were transformed in order to reduce gas emissions and leachate production.”

The company also explained that “following the successful rehabilitation of the landfill, a decision was taken to ensure that the area be made absolutely safe for the public to enjoy, through the installation of safety railings and gates and fences built around manifolds.”