Malta to reach ambitious waste targets by 2020

Malta will have to recycle at least 50 per cent of its household and 70 per cent of its construction waste in 12 years' time, according to an overhaul of the current EU's waste rules approved yesterday by the European Parliament.

Though the new targets are considered to be quite ambitious, particularly due to the fact that waste recycling and reuse in Malta are still in their infancy, a government spokesman told The Times that, during the discussions held at member states' level, Malta agreed with the targets "and is confident that the island will be able to reach them within the stipulated timeframe".

The new Waste Framework Directive, which will be replacing three existing directives - the existing Waste Framework Directive, the Hazardous Waste Directive and the Waste Oils Directive - is considered to be the central pillar of the EU's waste management policy.

The new rules set new recycling targets to be achieved by all EU member states by 2020, including recycling rates of 50 per cent for household and similar wastes and 70 per cent for construction and demolition waste.

The new directive will also oblige member states to establish waste management plans and waste prevention programmes with waste prevention objectives five years after the directive's entry into force.

The directive also sets a clear, five-step "hierarchy" of waste management options according to which prevention is the preferred option, followed by reuse, recycling, and other forms of recovery and with safe disposal as the last recourse.

It also clarifies a number of important definitions, such as recycling, recovery and waste itself. In particular, it draws a line between waste and by-products and defines when waste has been recovered enough - through recycling or other treatment - to cease being waste.

Malta is considered to be one of the highest producers of waste per capita in the EU. According to the latest statistics, referring to 2005, every person in Malta produces 609 kilos of waste a year. The average in the EU in the same year stood at 520 kilos.

The EU produces 1.8 billion tonnes each year. In 2005, 49 per cent of EU municipal waste was disposed of through landfill, 18 per cent was incinerated and 27 per cent recycled or composted.