An HSBC-backed campaign to save Malta's water resources is also expected to reduce the number of dumped plastic bottles by half a million.
The HSBC Water Programme – Catch the Drop is handing out reusable bottles to school children, so that they may use them instead of disposable ones.
To date, the campaign has distributed 2,070 high-quality reusable bottles at five schools. That is expected to generate a saving of 382,950 bottles in a year, the campaign said.
The calculation is based on each pupil taking a disposable water bottle to school five days a week for 37 scholastic weeks in a year [2070 x 5 x 37 = 382,950].
The latest school to receive bottles was St Benedict College – Kirkop Secondary, where the programme – Catch the Drop distributed a total of 800.
In another initiative, the programme said it will assist HSBC staff to install a domestic reverse osmosis (RO) plant at their homes. The bank will be partially subsidising the cost.
Under this initiative, a minimum of 150 staff and their families are expected to stop using plastic bottled water, avoiding the production and disposal of 135,000 bottles per year.
The bank will also be distributing 20,800 bio-degradable recycling bags to various schools.