Opportunism versus concrete proposals

There is a common trend behind the two articles published by Harry Vassallo (January 21) and Joe Mizzi (January 22). Both seek political gain at the expense of the environment.

Over the past four years, the government has been putting to life the solid waste management strategy for the Maltese islands published in 2001. This strategy was published following a thorough and exhaustive consultation process of which Dr Vassallo was a stakeholder; a key consultee! Back in 2001, there was no whimper from Dr Vassallo on the fact that the proposed upgrading of the Sant'Antnin plant was destined to cater for 250,000 tonnes of waste annually plus all the sewage sludge this country generates. Any resentment of such a policy then would have weakened the Greens towards recycling and composting.

As work on this proposed Sant'Antnin upgrade unfolded, WasteServ issued a project description statement (PDS) for consultation. On July 26, 2003, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority requested all stakeholders to comment on the proposal through the media. In July 2004, an alternative site assessment was circulated to all stakeholders for comments and on October 29, 2004 a draft environmental impact assessment was circulated for a six-week consultation period.

Throughout all this consultation process not one comment from Dr Vassallo or his Green Party was received at Mepa. With the consultation process over, Dr Vassallo cries fait accompli and that the government should be exploring the zero or do nothing option!

Ironically, the upgrading of this facility is a cornerstone in the Greens manifesto. However, in the supposed consultation meeting at Marsascala, Dr Vassallo chose to sympathise with the locals by deciding to resist the proposed €17 million investment.

What did Dr Vassallo have in mind then when he consented to 250,000 tonnes of waste going to Sant'Antnin or when he recommended the upgrading of this plant in his own manifesto? Quoting from Alternattiva's electoral manifesto for the last general election, Nifs Gdid - Nifs Nadif (A breath of fresh air - a breath of clean air), it clearly states that "ghandu jkun zgurat li l-impjant tar-riciklagg ta' l-iskart organiku solidu f'sit ikun immodernizzat biex jilqa' ghall-isfidi ta' programm serju u mifrux ta' riciklagg" (it should be ascertained that the solid organic waste recycling plant be modernised to meet the challenges of a serious and wide-ranging recycling programme).

Another extraordinary political stunt is that of Mr Mizzi and his plastic vision. In March 2003, on an RTK programme Mr Mizzi declares himself in favour of an eco tax for plastic bags. In August 2004, the Malta Labour Party issued an economic and social regeneration plan, which specifically favours the imposition of taxes as a penalty against all that impacts our health.

Mr Mizzi now rebukes the eco contribution on plastic bags as reaching ridiculous levels, that dioxin emissions from landfills is far fetched and that plastic bags are being recycled anyway by householders because they put rubbish in them.

Mr Mizzi should have bothered to inform himself of what Alfred Vella, a trusted expert, had to say on the emissions of dioxins from landfills as a result of polyethylene plastic. Moreover, being environmentally conscious, Mr Mizzi should be in favour of any alternative to plastic and encourage the degradable option as an improvement on the indestructible polyethylene plastic. Better still, it is the bio-degradable option that Mr Mizzi should be advocating for our refuse collection. These already exist on the market but were not yet widespread due to their uncompetitive price. However, the way the eco contribution has been introduced will mean that such bags will become the least expensive.

Rather than banning the use of general plastic bags, the eco contribution rectifies this by providing alternatives at more competitive pricing.

If this government wanted to increase its revenue it would have imposed a lower charge on the plastic bags in order to ensure that the 52 million bags put annually on the market do not decrease in number, thus ensuring the generation of considerable additional revenue.

Mr Mizzi refers to the solid waste management strategy stating that the proposed upgrading of the Sant'Antnin facility or incentivising the public towards more environmentally friendly alternatives are half-baked initiatives. May I therefore suggest to Mr Mizzi that he revisits the strategy to reaffirm that all these initiatives form part of this holistic plan.

Finally, Mr Mizzi hails opposition leader Alfred Sant for his statesmanship and his policy of saying the truth. Helicopter rides can hardly be seen as concrete action that reaps the desired fruit. Let me give credit to Labour. In 1998, with the introduction of the eco pod system at Sant'Antnin, the nuisance caused by smell emanating from the plant was significantly reduced to the extent that in the MLP document Ambjent b'sahhtu ghal sahhitna (A healthy environment for our health) it was stated that "il-Gvern Laburista 1996-98 wera kif, b'ghaqal, b'attenzjoni u b'metodi modifikati, impjant bhal dak ta' Sant'Antnin seta' fil-fatt jithaddem bla dannu ghar-residenti u b'hekk fejjaq it-traskuragni u l-inefficcjenza tal-Gvern precedenti" (the Labour government 1996-98 demonstrated how, intelligently, carefully and through modified methods, a plant such as the one at Sant'Antin could in fact be run without causing harm to the residents and thus made up for the negligence and inefficiency of the previous government).

If this is the case, it is only reasonable to ask why all this opposition now to an even more modernised and upgraded plant at Marsascala that will further lessen any possible impact? Or is this just political opportunism?

Mr Mizzi's leader speaks of waste facilities in a number of regions. However, he and his colleagues have already expressed opposition to siting waste management facilities at Birzebbuga, Qrendi, Marsascala and even Maghtab. Would it not be appropriate for Dr Sant to mention the localities, in particular those in the south, where his regional proposal should materialise? Is this Labour's vision for waste management that Mr Mizzi shouts about? Blurring an image and leaving it to our own individual imagination to interpret things will leave nothing for harvesting.

In the past, Labour has been critical of the fact that too many studies have led to little progress in waste management. Now, on the contrary, the government is being criticised for implementing without studying.

The truth is that the government is delivering on its promises through concrete action. Sustaining activity in this priority area will ensure that change will be delivered for the good of all and not for the political opportunism of the few.

Mr Pullicino is Environment Minister.