68 per cent of packaging generated in Żejtun recycled

The waste recycling education campaign together with the distribution of "Green Recycling Sacks" launched last month in Żejtun is generating positive results.

Green Dot Malta, operators of the waste recovery scheme known as GreenPak, said that recyclable material collected from Żejtun households has increased from 3.5 tonnes per week to 5.38 tonnes in a matter of a few weeks. Considering that Żejtun is a community of some 4,000 households, this means that at least 68 per cent of the packaging generated in this locality is being sent for recycling. This is among the highest collection rates anywhere in Malta.

"GreenPak has always believed that the key for increasing public participation in recycling is through education. Education creates awareness and stimulates participation.

"We also believe that the news media in Malta has an essential role to play in this regard," said Green Dot Malta CEO Mario Schembri, during the presentation of GreenPak's sponsorship of the Environmental Journalism category in the Malta Journalism Awards (MJA), organised by the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM).

The environmental journalism prize, which brings to 13 the number of categories for the Awards' 20th edition, is presented to the Maltese journalist whose work is assessed as having most effectively communicated environmental issues to the public.

Appropriate fees incurred by local councils to send their waste collection to a landfill have drastically increased from €0.87 per tonne to €20 per tonne. Local councils therefore need to encourage their citizens to recycle in order to contain the payment of these new fees. By increasing recycling, less waste is sent to landfills and less money is spent on landfill charges and therefore more money is retained by the local council for the upkeep of the respective locality.