WEEE Malta launched the WEEE Trolleys – Collection Points today in a bid to increase the collection and recycling of small waste electric and electronic equipment.

Small WEEE are small handheld items that require a plug or batteries to use and that can fit inside of the trolley, such as small kitchen appliances, hair dryers, clocks, remote controls, laptops and mobile phones, radios, small electronic toys and power tools.

WEEE Malta is supplying over 60 trolleys to councils, schools, colleges, businesses and retailers, where both the staff and/or the visiting public can safely dispose of their small waste electric and electronic equipment. The intention is to supply 300 trolleys in the next three years.

The trolleys are mobile, fitted with brakes and are adequately equipped to provide an easy solution for WEEE recycling. When full, WEEE Malta will empty it on site and transport it to WEEE accredited facilities through a consignment note approved by the Environment and Resources Authority. WEEE Malta said it is committed to provide this service throughout its collection points.  

During a press conference at the Qormi council, WEEE Malta chief operations officer Sergio Mallia said that small WEEE like toys, tools, small appliances, and IT equipment are being either hoarded or disposed of in the black bag and sent to the landfill instead of being recycled.

“Every year a substantial amount of all small electrical items are thrown into domestic waste. If everyone made an effort and disposed of these items either in these trolleys or at civic amenity sites, we would see a big impact on recycling rates in Malta, hence saving our environment.”

Mr Mallia went on to say that “by keeping WEEE separate from other waste it can be treated, the hazardous substances can be removed and a large amount of waste can be recycled rather than sent for disposal at the Landfill”.

He said waste recycling in Malta faced an external challenge in the years ahead. This challenge centred on an EU directive which set out that national collection rates of 42 per cent of waste electrical and electronic equipment by 2016 will go up to 65 per cent national rate by the end of 2020.

To increase collections and awareness, WEEE Malta is also taking part in this year’s European Week for Waste Reduction. The aim of the week, from November 19 to 27 is to promote the concept of waste prevention, reuse and recycling during one week, by coordinating awareness raising actions organised by a variety of actors.

WEEE Malta launched an awareness campaign encouraging people of all ages to dispose of their electronic waste in a proper way. It introduced a  freephone number 8007 4444 for a free door to door WEEE collection.

As part of its ‘Social Corporate Responsibility’, WEEE Malta is donating €1 to Dar tal-Providenza for every waste electric and electronic equipment collected, capped at €10,000.

The calls for collection should be made between November 15 and 24 from 8am to 5pm. Collections will be made between November 21 and 28.

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