Momentum proposes ban on single-use plastics

Momentum called for a ban on single-use plastics and the phasing out of plastic packaging in supermarkets in a series of proposals targeting recycling, green strategies, and waste management.

It explained that this will be done through dialogue with producers, importers, and sellers in an effort to find workable alternatives as a group, insisting that cooperation always delivers better results than rules imposed without support.

Momentum also proposed a clear national roadmap towards zero plastic, showing exactly how and when we will reduce plastic use across all sectors of society. They pointed out that while the government talks about going green, there is no concrete plan to eliminate plastic waste entirely.

“This is not a vague aspiration,” Momentum said. “It is a measurable commitment tied to our wider decarbonisation targets, with milestones, timelines, and accountability built in.”

Momentum pointed out that Malta generates more waste per person than almost any other EU country, yet still relies on landfill and incineration as default solutions. While successive governments have discussed other sustainable strategies, nothing has been done to change the system.

Momentum called for a comprehensive reform on Malta’s waste prevention, recovery, reuse, and recycling system, explaining that the country must stop treating waste as something to burn or bury and start treating it as a resource.

“Incineration and landfills should be the last resort, not the default,” Momentum said.

If elected to parliament, Momentum pledged to push Malta’s waste policies to conform to the  EU Circular Economy Action Plan, insisting that this requires building real infrastructure for sorting and processing rather than handing out recycling bags and hoping for the best. 

Momentum candidate Alastair Farrugia said “Every year Malta sends thousands of tonnes of waste to landfill because no government has had the political will to build a proper system. Momentum in parliament will push for the changes that PL and PN have avoided for decades, because our environment cannot wait any longer for them to act."