Mepa seeks public assistance over measures to cut waste

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is turning to the public for suggestions on how Malta can adhere to a new EU directive on waste management.

The directive, which will be transposed to Maltese law next year, establishes that half of household waste and 70 per cent of construction waste has to be recycled by 2020.

It is actually a revision of the 1975 Waste Framework Directive and aims to encourage the reuse and recycling of waste and puts a lot of emphasis on waste prevention in EU member states in a bid to safeguard both the environment and human health. Apart from setting out reuse and recycling targets for member states, the directive requires countries to set up waste prevention programmes.

"We want people to give us practical solutions how they think we can implement this directive," Kevin Mercieca, the manager of the authority's Waste, Air, Radiation and Noise Unit, said. He said that, according to the directive, Malta would need to have a system in place to collect paper, metal, plastic and glass separately from households.

Weekly collections of paper, metal and plastic already take place, while glass objects can be thrown away at bring-in sites around the island. Asked whether the weekly collection would be scrapped, Mr Mercieca said there were no plans yet and the authority was calling for suggestions even on how this could be enhanced.

Mepa is also calling on the public to say what additional measures over and above those laid down by the directive can be implemented to protect the environment and human health.

The public is also being asked to say whether they believe waste management costs should be partly or wholly borne by the producer of a particular product.

Comments should be sent by e-mail to contact.unitD@mepa.org.mt or by post to Mepa, Unit D, St Francis Ravelin, Floriana, PO Box 200, Marsa, MRS1000 by August 14.