A new plant for waste treatment and processing that will soon be tapped to generate electricity will save Fier district from an inherited environmental gangrene. Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Assembly Speaker Gramoz Ruçi, also MP representing Fier district, inspected the completion of the first phase of construction project on solid waste processing plant in Fier district, the second of its kind in Albania, following one in the central district of Elbasan, which will ultimately tackle the waste management and treatment problem in line with the European Union’s environmental, health and safety standards.

“Three years ago, we declared the environmental emergency in the existing landfill, where incredible amounts of waste have been accumulated over the past 50 years and we are looking forward to seeing the new treatment plant becoming fully operational. First of all, the urban waste will no longer dumped in the existing landfill and instead we will start their disposal here. The project’s second stage is designed to rehabilitate the existing landfill and turn it into a mini park,” the Mayor of Fier Armando Subashi said.

Prime Minister Rama said this project is the response to the public speculations over the project that alarmed local residents when the project was launched.

“The project marks a transition from the Middle Ages to modern times in terms of waste management and treatment, while the street and residential trash pose a real daily threat to the soil health and fertility. Such a project had become a kind of shooting target with everyone firing and yelling at it: “corruption”, “robbery”, “thievery”, “PPP”, but all things come to those who wait because time heals all wounds. The project opens up the perspective for all local government units to dispose their urban waste in this site so that the district’s environment is saved once and for all from the waste dumping, scattered landfills, water and soil poisoning, air poisoning. We want to do the same in Durres that faces an environmental emergency too. We have launched the project and another important area will be saved once and for all from the craze of solid and waste and the project will put an end to that whole polluting potential and turn the area into a protected environment with normal parameters for the citizens’ health and tourism development,” the Premier said.

With the project becoming fully operational, it will also generate electricity.