[WATCH] Dalli steers clear of ‘organic freeze’ questions: ‘Separation key to reduce landfills’

Energy minister steers clear of ‘organic freeze’ questions

Energy and environment minister Miriam Dalli has refused to deal with questions from the press over a suggestion by Wasteserv boss Richard Bilocca that residents should freeze uncollected organic waste to lock in odours.

Dalli three times refused to give a straight answer to the suggestion, meant to placate complaints from certain localities about the increasing volumes of garbage that were amassing on pavements before collection.

Instead Dalli repeated her official line that waste collection was now gathering organic waste bags three times a week, to reduce mixed waste collections to twice a week.

“This has encouraged waste separation, it increases the collection of recycled waste, and does not contribute to more landfilling,” she said, claiming a 35% increase in organic waste collection and a 10% reduction in mixed waste volumes.

Dalli denied not having heard complaints from residents about the ill effects of the organic waste disposal. “We do have certain issues in certain localities that must be addressed, but that does not mean we must turn to mixing our waste once again. That would only increase landfilling – a national problem that would no longer be merely local.”