Waste management is a worldwide issue and Malta is no exception. In our case, given our limited land area, a growing population and a robust tourism sector, it’s a pressing issue which needs to be resolved.
Despite awareness campaigns by the government, NGOs and educational institutions to keep our islands clean, cooperation by the public is not always forthcoming. We have spotless homes but beyond our doorsteps it is, unfortunately, a different story.
A collective effort is badly needed for a cleaner outdoors. Sustainable integrated systems of waste management are a must.
The government is doing its utmost to make the public aware of the need to maintain public cleanliness. Different schemes to encourage people dispose of their domestic waste in an efficient and sustainable manner have been introduced. The European Union too is doing its part to improve waste management across its member states.
In 2018, the EU adopted the Circular Economy Package, a set of policies aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainable use of resources. The package includes targets for recycling rates and reducing landfilling and food waste. The Maltese government has bound itself to implement these policies while securing a sustainable future.
At the forefront of such schemes was the introduction of the beverage container refund scheme. This scheme enables the efficient collection of beverage containers by placing a deposit of €0.10 on the sale of each plastic bottle, which is refunded to consumers when they deposit the containers in recycling machines or manually in retail shops.
The results are encouraging. More than 60 million beverage containers were collected in just five months – 2,816 tons of material shipped for recycling. Notwithstanding the initial stumbling blocks, coupled with some technical issues, the principle of a deposit refund scheme is proving to be successful and is steadily becoming the new norm.
BCRS machines are available across all Malta and Gozo. Recently, jumbo machines, able to receive large amounts of bottles at one go have been introduced, enabling a better and more efficient process.
These deposit schemes have long been adopted in other European countries and have been successful in reducing plastic waste and improving recycling rates. The European Commission is also proposing legislation that requires member states to establish such schemes in order to achieve its target of recycling 90 per cent of plastic bottles by 2029.
Keeping Malta clean should be a collective effort- Maria Sara Vella Gafà
Public cleanliness is a theme close to my heart – it always has been – and I feel obliged to continue doing my part to raise further awareness on this all important subject. It is my duty, as a citizen of Malta, to do so. The government is doing its best to raise awareness and help create a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
Substantial investment, not least financial, has been made in this regard. In my capacity as mayor of Gudja, I have first-hand experience and can vouch for this. As a local council, we have strong support from the government’s Cleansing and Maintenance Division, as well as from Clean Malta, to help us tackle public cleaning and waste-management issues within our locality.
Keeping Malta clean should be a collective effort. It rests on us to take good care of our country’s well-being. For a clean and healthy environment means a better standard of living for us all.
I am confident that, together, we can make Malta cleaner. Education and public awareness campaigns, coupled with the government’s successful schemes and initiatives, are key. Schools are doing their part. The awareness for a clean and healthier environment is now deeply ingrained within our educational curricula. Children often tell their parents on the importance of maintaining a cleaner outdoors and the need to separate domestic waste.
The new generation is deeply aware of the need for a cleaner Malta. Adults have a lot to learn from them. Mainstream media outlets too have raised the bar for a cleaner Malta – as should be. But it requires a collective effort.
Often, it takes little effort to keep our outdoors clean but, once that effort is made, the results are instant and benefits us all. We must all be protagonists for this change to happen.
Maria Sara Vella Gafà, a lawyer, is the mayor of Gudja.