As local companies seek to find cost effective solutions for recovering discarded packaging, Green-Pak announces its latest initiative in this regard.

GreenPak, on Tuesday, announced its Waste Recycling Banks project. Maltese companies have to submit to MEPA details on how discarded packaging is to be recycled by the end of this month. Throughout summer, GreenPak has been recovering various forms of packaging through this project.

MEPA has given local companies until Friday to provide details on how the discarded packaging generated by their commercial activity is recovered and recycled. Such requirement applies to companies trading in consumer goods such as food items, beverages, clothes, toiletries, stationery, detergents, paints, electrical goods, pharmaceuticals and any packaged product that one can imagine. To the vast majority of companies, this is a real problem, and this latest GreenPak initiative is a timely solution.

"GreenPak offers a range of different solutions for the recovery of packaging waste", Denise Vassallo, spokes-person for GreenPak said. "In today's fast paced and complex society, more and more people are leading diverse lifestyles. The 'one solution fits all approach' is no longer suitable for many families, and GreenPak has already in place different options tailored to facilitate the collection of packaging from households".

The waste recycling banks are colour-coded bins intended for the deposit of plastic, glass and metal packaging. With the banks located in the privacy of residential buildings, this is an effective solution without disrupting daily routines, as these remain for the exclusive use of the tenants.

An appreciative mother said: "Now, my children are enthusiastic that they themselves can put the packaging materials in the banks as the bins are close to home. I also need not worry about their safety, as they do not need to cross very busy streets - and we all know how dangerous that can be!"

Ms Vassallo said residents very willingly co-operated with this initiative as they felt a sense of 'ownership' - "GreenPak incorporated many people's experiences when designing the waste recycling banks".

GreenPak is part of the European wide Green Dot organisation that is responsible for diverting millions of tonnes of discarded consumer packaging away from landfill and towards recycling. The successful operation of these recycling banks ensures higher recycling achievement this year.

Companies can immediately transfer the responsibilities of recovering their packaging waste by taking advantage of this collection system. The necessary application forms can be obtained from the GreenPak Website at www.greendot.com.mt.