How can eco-contribution be avoided?

Producers or importers are encouraged to seek workable compliant schemes, possibly in partnership with others, so that the product will become exempt. Compliant schemes need not be in the form of deposit-refund systems. The novelty of compliant schemes is left to the competence of those who will ultimately manage them.

Sooner, rather than later, consumer awareness will rise and the preference will be towards compliant (hence potentially cheaper) products.

It is in the interest of producers/importers who have adopted a compliant scheme to advertise it, raising consumer awareness towards more environmentally acceptable products, gaining an advantage over competitors. Private schemes are also likely to be labelled to encourage consumers re-think consumption patterns.

Eco-contribution is an incentive for industry to shoulder part of its responsibility towards the volumes of waste it puts on the market.

Waste separation, as we know it, relies on consumer participation. Anyone expressing a sense of civic duty finds it appropriate to deposit packaging material separately in the bring-in sites for government to further sort for treatment and recycling.

The responsibility is purely on the individual. Unfortunately, experience has shown that waste separation on a voluntary basis does not only rely on the person who chooses to co-operate but also on those who choose not to co-operate because their negligence can disrupt the system.

The eco-contribution complements the positive efforts of some by withdrawing the responsibility from the consumer and retaining it with the producer/importer. In this way, waste separation can actually be improved because these operators have a financial incentive to comply with.

Allowing for the creation of compliant schemes results in a far less risk of the material being contaminated. The incentive put on a product by the producers/importers may only be recovered if the product passes through the appropriate channels, away from the general waste stream, for proper treatment/disposal.

Eco-friendly products use less energy or water during their lifetime and thus label themselves green. However, these products are still of concern if they find their way to the general waste stream.

The eco contribution ensures that green products too participate in these recovery schemes benefiting the environment even further. Savings on the present labour-intensive collection and sorting systems and on landfill void is surely a desirable goal in a country such as ours.

For more information visit www.wasteservmalta.com

Dr Ciantar is head, Strategy and Development, at WasteServ Malta Ltd.