Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

The Nationalist Party is concerned by the Government’s proposal to gather mixed waste from homes and shops just once a week.

Most homes in Malta and Gozo were not equipped for such an arrangement, especially with the growing number of families living in apartment blocks, the PN said.

It has welcomed the draft National Waste Management Plan for 2013-2020, but listed a number of reservations.

In a statement, PN spokesman Charlo Bonnici said the draft uncovered the Government’s inconsistency as it had changed its tune before the election.

He asked the Government to reconsider its decision to introduce new tariffs for collecting domestic and commercial waste.

The draft mentioned higher tariffs and extra taxes for landfills, when Labour in Opposition had spoken against the fees introduced by the previous administration.

It also spoke about strengthening the eco-contribution system, which it had fought intensely in Opposition. While the Government now referred to the Sant’Antnin Waste Recycling Plant as pivotal infrastructure, in Opposition it had tried to freeze EU funds for its modernisation.

The Government’s plan, Mr Bonnici said, failed to give direction for investing EU funds, including the €40 million Għallis project that had to be started this year and other plants such as the incinerator for refuse-derived fuels.

In a statement last night, the Government has no intention of introducing new taxes related to waste.