Paying for waste scheme

I refer to the press release issued by Żminijietna (The Sunday Times, April 27). It must be emphasised that participants of the waste seperation scheme will not be forced to pay to participate. Participants of packaging waste recovery may dispose of their packaging waste in bring-in sites or in civic amenity sites for free. Residents who, for some reason or other, do not feel that such initiatives are convenient enough, may participate in the new set-up by purchasing 'grey bags' from leading outlets.

Żminijietna claims that this door-to-door recovery scheme should be financed through eco-contribution. It is worth reiterating that packaging forms part of producer responsibility obligations: every producer must recover a percentage of the packaging he places on the market.

The government has already committed itself, so much so that a legal notice has been published: as soon as producers start to recover packaging either by joining GreenPak, any other authorised collective scheme or alone, they will not pay eco-contribution anymore. This is in line with government policy that eco-contribution is a tax by choice not by default.

As soon as a private concern takes over this packaging system that will soon be introduced, government revenue from packaging waste will decrease because packaging waste will be managed by the private sector.

Naturally, options for discouraging mixed waste are being considered too. It is worth highlighting that plastic bags are already charged eco contribution and some re-think should continue to encourage people to go for the grey bag rather than the normal plastic bag for mixed waste.