The local council of St Paul’s Bay yesterday introduced an innovative recycling scheme in defiance of government orders to end it.
The scheme was launched by Mayor Graziella Galea, together with councillors from both political parties.
Automated machines that recycle plastic bottles have been installed across the locality. Residents are being encouraged to use them instead of throwing away their plastic bottles in normal rubbish containers.
While crushing the bottles, the machine automatically separates out any remaining liquid. The initiative includes incentives for residents, who will be receiving a voucher to be redeemed at shops in the locality for every bottle they dispose of in the machine.
We believe that this scheme is important for our locality and as the locality’s elected local government, we decide how and when to move ahead
The initiative is part of the local council’s efforts to introduce more awareness of the need for waste separation and recycling.
Yet the government, through the department of local councils, has opposed it and ordered the council not to pursue it.
Despite the department’s written instructions, the local council went ahead and launched the initiative. It does not breach any law, Ms Galea said.
“For some reason that we cannot understand, the government is opposing this innovative scheme and has ordered us not to launch it. After consulting our lawyers, we were told that the scheme does not break any law and we decided to move ahead.”
Asked to explain its objection to this pro-environment scheme, a spokesman for Local Councils Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Bountempo confirmed that the department had requested the council to suspend the scheme “until further direction is given”.
“The St Paul’s Bay local council’s initiative, even if it might be a valid one, is not in line with the policies being considered by the government. Furthermore, the council does not hold a licence to operate such a scheme,” the spokesman said.
According to Dr Buontempo’s spokes-man, discussions are currently under way “regarding waste collection and waste separation, particularly with regard to organic waste, and the government is taking a holistic approach in devising policies and introducing laws in this regard”.
The Nationalist mayor would have none of it. “What organic waste are they talking about? This scheme is only about plastic,” Ms Galea said.
“We cannot wait for the government to make up its mind on these important schemes and then follow suit. We believe that this scheme is important for our locality and as the locality’s elected local government we decide how and when to move ahead,” she said.
Although invited for the launch, both Environment Minister Leo Brincat and Mr Bountempo did not attend. The PN’s environment shadow minister, Marthese Portelli, was present.