Dead animals, sex toys, soiled clothes, used syringes, expired flares and broken toasters, kettles and radios are among the items found in the domestic grey bags that should only be used to throw away materials to be recycled.

In a recent exercise, WasteServ also found organic and construction waste in bags which should only contain paper, cardboard, plastic and metal.

A third of the waste that reaches Wasteserv’s facilities is composed of non-recyclable materials and is rejected by the sorting machines, WasteServ chief executive Richard Bilocca told Times of Malta.

A third of the waste brought into WasteServ in grey bags was not recyclable. Photo: Wasteserv

This has forced the company to instruct waste collectors to ensure that what they pick up is all recyclable waste – WasteServ will no longer pay them for the waste they collect that is not up to standard.

The waste-recovery scheme is operated by two companies, GreenPak and GreenMT.

They provide a nationwide collection service for separated waste on the basis of a contract that has been in place since 2012.

Under this contract, WasteServ pays them €48 per tonne for material the two companies bring to their facilities.

WasteServ then treats and exports this material to overseas recyclers. The service providers are charged for rejects.

However, the recent exercise showed that WasteServ was still incurring a high cost for disposing of the third of the waste that comes in which is not recyclable. 

Third of the waste reaching Wasteserv’s facilities is not recyclable

Rejects identified during these exercises included shoes, items of clothing, bulky stuff, organic waste as well as dangerous materials such as clinical waste, dead animals and highly flammable substances or devices.

Both providers have been in dispute with WasteServ over the amounts they say are due to them, with both contending that they have been forced to delay paying their own waste collectors.

Bilocca said GreenMT has now acknowledged the result of the exercise and said it would enter into talks with its waste collectors to ensure that the grey bags only contain recyclable material.

However, GreenPak is still refusing to pay for the rejects and is also refusing payment from WasteServ until the issue is resolved.

Without cooperation and a joint effort, little will be achieved

WasteServ has deposited the amounts in court until a solution is found.

'Working against all odds'

A spokesman for GreenMT, which is owned by the Chamber of SMEs, said the company had been working hard “against all odds” to implement the EU’s polluter-pays principle since the first packaging directive.

“Although we have seen the public steadily taking up the challenges to separate waste, clearly, we still have a long way ahead. We must continue relentlessly to safeguard the environment for future generations.

“It is abundantly clear that we are already at the point of no return. We must act now. Every one of us has a role to play but without cooperation and a joint effort, little will be achieved,” the spokesman said.

He said the company would continue to educate, encourage and incentivise people to ensure that only recyclables reach Wasteserv’s facility.

Bilocca said Wasteserv was preparing its own education campaign on what should be placed in the grey bags and what should not.

As an example, he said metal tins previously containing preservatives have to be cleaned before being disposed of in the grey bag.