If you are reading this piece, most probably it’s because you’re concerned by the scenes we saw last Thursday at the Għallis landfill, as the gale force winds blew plastic into the garigue and the adjacent Magħtab coast.
I was on-site, looking on as our workers battled relentlessly, and in vain, to try and prevent debris from flying over the confines of the landfill, not because WasteServ doesn’t have preventative measures in place but because our workers cannot battle the impossible.
Naturally, the public – us included – were unhappy with the scenes. Not only should plastic not be dispersed into the environment but having plastic debris flying all over the place is unacceptable. It’s time for a collective reality check to understand that this is our collective problem. The waste that ends up at the Għallis landfill is the rubbish we are all generating.
Our country’s target is to recycle at least 55 per cent of household waste by 2025 and 65 per cent by 2035. Last year, WasteServ processed triple the amount of recyclables, including plastic. Even though this is positive news – testament to the efforts that have been put in – it is not enough.
The country is tackling a major waste problem, resulting from years of inadequate responses. Malta trails at the bottom of all EU scoresheets when it comes to collective waste separation and proper waste management practices. We must collectively increase our waste separation efforts, both in terms of quantity and quality. Complaining about a massive environmental problem and not doing anything about it is clearly not the solution.
We all have a role to play. We need a new way of doing things, a different approach towards the environment where we all play our part.
Malta has one of the lowest gate fees at EU level. It is clear that this is part of the long-standing problem. The current gate fees stand at €20 per tonne when our cost to process waste is at least four times that amount. To put things into perspective, in theory, one could landfill 125,000 plastic bags for only €20.
Are we doing justice to the better environmental expectations of Maltese citizens? Should we adopt proper – stronger – environmental practices? The need for further incentives to separate waste and a solid door-to-door enforcement system are also evident.
The Maltese government has made available half a billion euros so that Malta can have a world class waste management infrastructure. But if recyclable materials continue to make their way in the black bag, all this investment will be futile. Recyclable materials can be easily placed in the grey or green bags, at source.
The government has made available half a billion euros for a world class waste management infrastructure- Richard Bilocca
One can understand the recent criticism levelled by two reputable environmental NGOs. It is true that the current longstanding reliance on landfilling is unacceptable but we are investing heavily to turn waste into resources.
The opposition also has its say on waste management but the problem is that the messages
are incoherent. Over the past months, it delivered mixed messages on the ECOHIVE project, at times suggesting that WasteServ recycling operations are a failure… ignoring the fact that, in 2021, our company exported the largest ever amount of recyclables since its inception.
The way forward is clear. We all have an important role to play. We need to present a united front. The improvements in Malta’s waste management should not be politicised.
Today, we have a clear vision supported by the required financing and a revamped waste management plan.
The next steps will be crucial. Firstly, we need to change our consumption habits. We all need to reduce our waste, move away from unsustainable products and practices,and make sure we separate our waste right.
Secondly, we need to understand that maintaining the status quo will only lead to more shocking scenes like the ones we have witnessed and we may soon surpass the point of no return. Being shocked at plastic flying off a landfill and then opposing the infrastructural upgrades and policies being put forward by Malta’s new waste management plan is contradictory and counterproductive.
Finally, we all need to be aware that the actions we take today will decide the future we desire for our children. We need to ask ourselves what environment we want to leave for our future generation. This is the scar left by single-use plastics. I am sure we all agree that landfills scattered across the country is not the legacy we want to be remembered for. We must show that we can join forces as a country to put proper waste separation and waste management at the forefront of our priorities.
Change begins with every single one of us. We have the resources to perform better, we now need to collectively tap their full potential.
Richard Bilocca, CEO, WasteServ