Your choices can have a huge impact on our environment. Here’s how you can make some simple changes that will make a world of difference.

One thing that we certainly take for granted when shopping is the presence of plastic and packaging, enclosing almost each and every product we buy. 
The use of packaging material was originally intended to protect products from being damaged during transportation and to reduce the rate of deterioration of perishables like food. However, throughout the years, packaging started to be used for aesthetic purposes, giving a false sense that what is enclosed is of better quality, with plastic being even applied to products that do not require any packaging. Examples include excessively packaged cosmetics, perfumes and single-packaged fruits and vegetables. 

Unnecessary plastic and packaging is detrimental to the environment as it requires large amounts of resources to produce, generates pollution through the burning of fossil fuels during its own production process, and contributes to high volumes of waste generation, especially if coupled with a high consumption rate. 
This is the case for Malta, which has one of the highest Municipal Waste generation rates in the EU, including a high rate of packaging waste generation partly attributed to the high influx of tourists during the peak summer season. Unfortunately, not all packaging waste is recyclable, with the non-recyclable portion being currently diverted to landfill, further contributing to the problem of limited space on an island state. 

Packaging waste that is not separated for recycling, and which then leaks into the environment or ends up as litter, can be highly detrimental to the environment, as it may take hundreds of years to disintegrate. The damage to the environment can be irreversible, with biodiversity and marine species suffering from serious consequences like entanglement, suffocation, toxicity and even death. 

Moreover, littered items can be hazardous to human health, because if these end up in the marine environment, they can break down into microplastics, which are easily ingested by marine organisms, therefore contaminating the food chain. Littering is also resulting in reduced fishery catches and is negatively affecting the tourism industry, with tourists avoiding unsightly littered areas. 
Partly because of busy schedules or accustomed behaviour, consumption trends are slowly moving towards quick meals, with an increasing demand for microwaveable, frozen or readily-prepared foods that further increase the amount of packaging waste. Furthermore, some of this packaging waste may be non-recyclable. 

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Top tips 

Be part of the solution and not the pollution.

• Plastic bags will be banned from 2022, so start preparing yourself by taking a reusable bag with you whenever you go shopping
• Opt for local fruits and vegetables which are free from packaging. On top of supporting local producers and farmers, your food will have a much smaller carbon footprint
• Take your own reusable container whenever possible. Indeed, some supermarkets have already started offering this option for fruits, vegetables, pasta, nuts and deli items. Furthermore, customers get the quantity they need without wasting excess food
• Refill containers whenever possible. Similar to bring-your-own but applicable for detergent liquids and beverages
• Having reusable bread or veggie bags allows you to go for non-packed or loose products
• Choose more sustainable alternatives with less packaging whenever shopping
• If you have to get packaged items, go for recyclable packaging or packaging made from recycled material
• Avoid products that contain microplastics and choose their cleaner alternatives. These are normally found in detergents, dishwasher pods, toothpaste and cosmetics
• Avoid single-use plastics and disposable items at all costs. Less is more

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For more information follow the Saving Our Blue Campaign run by the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning on Facebook and Instagram.