Flawed recycling scheme

It was only quite recently that the village of Xagħra was blessed with its very own BCRS RVMs (reverse vending machines) for plastic and glass bottles and metal cans. It was a very much overdue arrival as, previously, one had to venture to other sites on the island.

All started off very smoothly, but this was not to be the case for much longer as, since its installation, the RVM for plastic bottles and cans has been blighted with problems. I have reported the issue to BCRS countless times via their WhatsApp service and always received the same standard response stating that they are aware of the problem but cannot provide an estimate for how long it will take to fix.

The machine rejects containers, claiming they are crushed, but they are not crushed. Believe it or not, even the RVM for glass bottles rejects them for the very same reason. How can a glass bottle be crushed?

On the last piece of advice from BCRS, with the Xagħra RVM still not working, I ventured down the road to Marsalforn. Alas, this RVM was not working either, claiming a container was stuck. So, it was then off to another nearby RVM at a local supermarket but, upon arrival, even this machine was rejecting containers, claiming they were crushed.

I am sure most people encounter this very same problem every time they wish to use the BCRS machines. These machines boldly carry a message in large letters saying “Learning New Ways Of Recycling Together”. Well, you could have fooled me!

Recycling should not involve money.

This scheme has to be the most frustrating and time-consuming way of recycling. We live in a fast-paced world where time is of the essence and people do not need this added stress of trying to redeem deposits they have paid on beverage containers.

If you are lucky enough to find an RVM that is working you generally have to stand in a long queue with people in front bearing large sacks of containers in all extremities of weather. I am sure that if the population were to have a vote on this scheme they would elect to scrap it.

Only those who scavenge the streets and break open garbage bags to retrieve uncrushed beverage containers are the ones who would opt to maintain the scheme.

Recycling should not involve money. When money is involved, we are talking about business. It does not take much brain power to calculate how much the millions of tourists spend on beverages during their holidays here on the Maltese islands and to realise that these tourists, unbeknown to them, are paying a tax of 10 cents on each beverage purchased and which they do not redeem. Even if they knew about it, they would hardly scout the islands for an RVM that is working.

So, the question begs itself: Where do all these unclaimed 10 cent deposits go?

I would say that somebody is making a lot of money out of this flawed recycling scheme.

Eddie Madgin - Xagħra