Recycling and pending issues
Recycling has really taken off in Malta, which is great for the environment, but issues still remain.
WasteServ recently said that recycling has increased to 266% of what it was ten years ago, while black bag use has dropped by almost onethird.
That is no small feat, and is evidence of the change in mentality that is being brought about. The WasteServ CEO said that : “It is clear that the public is a firm believer in the benefits of proper waste management. In spite of population growth, our latest statistics show that 2023 was our best year yet, and the indications are that 2024 could register positive results as well.” He also said that, “Organic waste has risen by 12% over the same period last year alone.”
However, the situation is not perfect. Parliamentary Secretary for Public Cleanliness, Glenn Bedingfield, recently said that cleansing and maintenance workers are collecting 45 tons of illegal waste every day. That is far too much.
Bedingfield said that 45 tons of illegal waste makes up two large double-decker buses. He said that there are many people in the country who are very irresponsible with their disposing of waste.
Keeping Malta clean takes a collective effort. Waste attracts rats and insects, creates foul smells and creates unsightly areas. It isn’t good for locals nor for tourists, and we are all responsible for our actions. There should be more enforcement on contraveners. Since last Monday, people are required to use the transparent black bag, which should help with this situation, and this is currently in a transition period. That transition period is also important, as people would still need to use the black bags that they had previously bought.
At the same time, there are garbage collection issues which need to be solved. For instance, some localities have collection times in the evening, yet this is resulting in waste being taken out from the morning anyway. Either more enforcement is needed or a change in time to the morning is required.
Another issue that one must highlight is that some localities might need more days when a particular bag is collected than others, but with the way that the schedule works now this isn’t possible. The needs of a small locality are not the needs of a large one, and as such cannot be treated the same.
Let’s also not forget the issue regarding apartment buildings. Should it be made a requirement for apartment blocks to have a waste room where garbage can be picked up from, rather than them being piled on high in the street?
One scheme that really seems to be working is the BCRS scheme. BCRS Malta Ltd collected over 204 million beverage containers in its first year, it had said in a statement at the end of 2023. However, there are still issues here also. One will still find machines not functioning, which is unacceptable when lugging around bags full of empty bottles.