No to 'half-baked' waste separation

The new door-to-door separation scheme cannot be another half-baked measure that does not utilise effectively society's hard earned taxes, according to an environmental NGO.

In a statement, Friends of the Earth (FOE) insisted it is not against the new waste separation door-to-door scheme but that the already existing bring-in site scheme still has a number of teething problems and would benefit if more resources are deployed for its success.

The new scheme, which was meant to start at the beginning of the month, is also experiencing basic problems. Although the scheme follows a three-year-long process of discussion, it is still struggling in the final stages prior to its implementation. Some local councils are still in the dark about the availability of bags.

Over and above this, with the new door-to-door scheme, more collection trucks would be required for the separate collection, adding to the air pollution. It would also need to impose new administration requirements, a continuous supply of bags and a different form of enforcement, which would all cost money.

FOE asked the government whether the Sant'Antnin Waste Treatment Plant is designed to handle the weekly intake of bags and how the sorting will take place once the rubbish arrives at the plant. It also asked whether the government has tapped into any new markets to resell the additional material collected. The NGO stressed that waste management requires an integrated strategy that is able to tackle all these matters constructively.

It also asked whether only the first pack of bags will be given for free as countries that operate such systems charge a price on bags used for mixed waste and not those utilised for recycled waste.

FOE pointed out how "the more schemes there are, the more the difficulties that will have to be faced and the higher the costs for society in general".