The Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment yesterday published a discussion document which will lead to the establishment of a new scheme for the collection of waste later this year.
This initiative is being taken in the light of the increase in packaging waste that will take place as a result of the expiry at the end of this year of the EU derogation on the packaging of non-alcoholic beverages, which until now have been only allowed in glass bottles.
The discussion document entitled “Proposal for the reform of the waste collection mechanism” was prepared after months of discussions with constituted bodies, NGOs including those involved in the environment, and the Local Councils’ Association.
The EU’s Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste sets out tangible objectives for the collection of packaging waste which should be reached by Malta within a specific period of time.
The law establishes the principle that the producer has the responsibility to collect, recycle and recover packaging waste.
In the past few years the government had been insisting with the private sector to start preparing for the effects of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, leading to the set-up of a private scheme for the collection of this kind of waste.
Although the EU Directive does not specify whether the collection of packaging waste should be undertaken by government entities or private ones, the government felt the need to propose an alternative scheme based on environmental and social considerations rather than on the commercial considerations.
The introduction of another scheme for the collection of packaging waste is also offering a choice to local producers that until now have been faced with an effective monopoly in this sector.
The scheme being proposed by the government will operate on the door-to-door collection of packaging waste to complement the bring-in sites where a lot of such waste material is already being collected.
It will be financed through an “Environment Fund” which will be financed by the producers that will choose to join this scheme together with the government which will contribute to collect more material than set out in the targets imposed on producers.
The proposal stipulates that the fund should be administered by the government with the participation of the stakeholders. The fund would directly finance the collection and treatment of packaging waste which would be subcontracted for a number of years to an operator or a number of private operators licensed in waste management following a public call for tenders.
Each household would receive colour-coded bags for the separation of waste in recyclable and packaging waste, organic waste and other waste. The bags will be available free of charge from retail outlets and will not be subject to eco-tax.
After it is collected, the separated waste will become the property of the collector and can therefore be commercialised. However, in any case the material collected should only be transferred to licensed waste treatment facilities to be treated, recycled or recovered.
Government is also proposing a similar scheme for the collection of organic waste and residual waste from households, restaurants, shops and commercial entities but which will be wholly financed from public funds.
However, these schemes will not be introduced if the private sector comes up with alternative proposals which can be implemented without government intervention.