During World War II and afterwards, the Maltese were renowned for their thrift and ability to recycle whatever they owned. But increasingly in the last few years, as Malta has become more affluent, less thrifty and more selfish, the disposal of garbage and the stubborn reluctance to separate waste at source led to a massive waste problem, exacerbated by a rapidly-increasing population.
Figures show that recycling of waste remains unpopular. Recycled waste dropped by more than 220,000 tonnes in 2016 even though garbage generated was up almost six per cent. Treatment of waste fell by more than one tenth.
The European Union’s approach to waste management is based on three platforms. First, through the reduction of waste generated. Secondly, through re-use of materials by recovering and recycling as a means of reducing the overall environmental impact. And, thirdly, through good landfill management. On all scores Malta lags woefully behind.
The EU is about to impose new laws increasing the share of municipal waste and packaging to be recycled. Recycling generates good business for the EU, which has about half of the world’s share of waste and recycling industries. Malta’s own recycled waste is also sold or exported, thus generating income for the island’s economy.
The Sant’Antnin recycling plant handles a range of materials, including paper, cardboard, plastic drink bottles, plastic bags and cosmetics bottles and metal cans. Waste treated there actually increased by over 27 per cent in 2016 as a result of better product management but this rate will, of course, not be sustained if recycled waste continues to fall. The nub of the problem remains that waste separation and recycling is an unpopular and neglected practice in Malta with under seven per cent of waste being re-used despite all efforts to promote better household and business separation management. What is to be done?
The Environment Minister, Josè Herrera, has said that recycling is to be made compulsory under a new law being drafted, which should come into effect later this year. But the inevitable question is: will this be yet another law that will be honoured more in the breach than the observance? Will it simply join others in the thrash-heap of broken laws, such as vehicle pollution, litter and fly-tipping in the countryside as well as illegal restaurant tables on public pavements?
Unless any new law on compulsory waste recycling is rigorously enforced, backed up by a Green Enforcement Unit capable of dealing effectively with the catering industry (which is the main offender) as well as recalcitrant households, the initiative will fail. Recycling will remain a minority activity performed by those few citizens whose social conscience and sense of civic responsibility impels them to do it.
There is a strong argument for acting more decisively if Malta is to demonstrate it is serious about waste recycling. Fines for non-compliance by catering establishments are expected to be central to the new law.
But one of the major scourges of the throwaway society is the throwaway plastic bottle that is now seen to be causing such damage to the world’s oceans, including the seas around us. Should Malta not be contemplating adding a levy to their cost, refundable in the case of returned bottles, as a way of forcing consumers to change their habits?
This is a Times of Malta print editorial