Pilot project to collect plastic used in agriculture

A pilot project to collect plastic from the agricultural sector is underway and, if successful, would be extended to other localities, Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino said yesterday.

Each year, about 100 tons of plastic are imported to Malta for agricultural purposes and, last year, in Mgarr alone, where the initiative started, 18 tons were collected.

The pilot project is being coordinated by WasteServ, with the support of the Mgarr, St Paul's Bay and Mellieha local councils as well as C&V Polymers and the Agricultural Cooperative.

The three localities were chosen mainly because of the large consumption of plastic for agricultural purposes, the fact that they are situated in close proximity and because Mgarr already had a collection system in place, Mr Pullicino explained.

The objectives of the project are to facilitate the collection of plastic used in agriculture and to avoid its accumulation on rubble walls. Large quantities of plastic are also burnt to the detriment of the environment and the scheme would help avoid that too.

The initiative is also aimed at encouraging the management of plastic in the agricultural sector and raising awareness on the importance of recycling different kinds of waste, the minister said.

Until a similar scheme is available in other localities, Gozitan farmers could dispose of their plastic at the waste transfer facility at Tal-Qortin while farmers in the southern part of the island could dispose of waste at the Sant'Antnin waste treatment facility in Marsascala.

If the plastic used in the agricultural sector - of which there are three types - is collected and exported, it can be recycled to make pipes for irrigation systems, Mr Pullicino said.

Through the initiative, farmers could dispose of all types as long as they are not contaminated with soil and other materials such as wood, iron, or grass.

Farmers and herdsmen were the "best guardians" of the environment, Mr Pullicino said, adding that they would also be managing the scheme because they knew best when the plastic needed to be discarded.

Polluters needed to do their duty with regard to the environmental damage caused by their products and the farmers had recognised this duty, Mr Pullicino added.

The way the system works, truckloads of plastic are transported to a trailer, which is positioned in certain areas on established dates for an entire day, depending on the seasons and the demands. The plastic is then transferred to a factory, where soil is removed. It is pressed and shipped abroad to a washing plant from where it is sold again to be recycled.