Malta set for recycling record in 2021

This year is set to be a record for collected recyclables, since WasteServ's inception in 2002, Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia said.

While visiting the Sant’Antnin waste treatment plant in Marsaskala, Farrugia said that WasteServ streamlined its operations and managed to not only cover the ground lost since 2017 but surpass it.

The environment ministry said estimates show that for 2021, around 18,000 tonnes of good quality material will be recycled and returned to the economy.

These translate into around 5,500 tonnes of cardboard and paper; 3,500 tonnes of metal; 7,000 tonnes of glass; and 2,000 tonnes of plastic. 

“This is a confirmation that the government is working to deliver a better environment for future generations. Hard work combined with the determination to deliver concrete results in a sector that faced stagnation for a number of years, has led to sharp and quick improvements,” said Farrugia.

WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca said that thanks to the new long-term waste management plan and the largest ever investment in waste management, WasteServ is expected to further surpass these figures by a substantial margin.

Bilocca stated that WasteServ is investing in robust infrastructure and a modern waste management, that allow for more waste to resource transformation.

GreenPak welcomes improvement but says it's still a long way to go

GreenPark Coop. welcomed WasteServ's announcement but warned that the amount of waste going to the landfill remains unacceptably high.

GreenPak collects recyclables through the weekly green/grey bag collections, the monthly door-to-door glass collections, as well as from the smart bins found across the islands.

GreenPak stated that it collected 120,000 tonnes of recyclable waste since 2017 and it said that WasteServ's pledge to improve the waste recycling operations, is great news

“Nevertheless, many challenges in waste management remain as the amounts of waste going to landfill remains unacceptably high. Sustainable practices need to be urgently introduced to improve the quality of materials disposed by the public. “

It also called for better waste separation at the householder and said that it is in discussions with the Ministry of Environment, to address problems like the costs related to the collection of mixed waste and the inefficiencies at the WasteServ plants.

"The EU has for many years recommended that Malta introduces financial incentives to avoid recyclable waste going to landfill," it said.