Prime Minister announces pilot project to collect plastic bottles from elderly, blue badge holders

Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced a pilot project starting from 1 July that will offer plastic beverage bottle collection directly from the homes of elderly people and blue badge holders.

The service will operate in 20 localities and use special vehicles equipped with machines that issue vouchers on the spot.

“This service will reduce inconvenience for the elderly, who may find it more difficult to visit shops or places where existing BCRS machines are located,” said Abela during a discussion on environmental issues in Attard on Sunday morning.

Abela said this is an additional service the government will offer as part of a wider range of environmental initiatives. 

The Prime Minister also announced that a fast ferry service from Buġibba will start operating next month, aiming to reduce road traffic and air pollution by encouraging more sustainable travel between Malta and Gozo.

In addition, he said that new building codes are being drafted to regulate the construction sector further.

The discussion featured contributions from Rachel Scicluna, an anthropologist, and chairperson of the Guardian of Future Generations, and Ruben Paul Borg, architect and lecturer at the University of Malta’s Faculty of Built Environment.

Scicluna highlighted how demographic changes affect Malta’s environment and spaces, stressing the importance of linking governance to sustainability and always considering people’s needs when planning the environment.

She praised projects rehabilitating old houses with NGOs like Dar Tereżan and Dar Qawsalla, which provide homes for families facing challenges.

Borg spoke about construction industry challenges, noting that new buildings are increasingly made with recycled construction waste materials. 

He commended the government’s initiatives, including the creation of the Building and Construction Authority and the Climate Action Agency.

He also pointed to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, developed from a former industrial site, as an example of a net-zero energy building offering educational opportunities.