Hardly a day goes by without plastic featuring in news reports or social media posts. It seems this ubiquitous material, which we have not been able to live without for so long, has suddenly become undesirable.

There are very understandable reasons for this state of affairs. The toll plastic is taking on our oceans is alarming. In Malta, we only have to look around to see how much of the stuff is being dumped in our countryside and the Mediterranean Sea.

We have come a long way in this country when it comes to recycling. More and more people are taking responsibility for the disposal of their domestic waste – making use of the door-to-door recycling collection services available in each locality. Many others use the various bring-in sites around the island to even separate their waste further.

Malta had the foresight early on to introduce the concept of producer responsibility, where companies and organisations that trade packaged goods are required by law to finance and organise the collection and recycling of plastics, glass, metal and paper waste materials.

Nevertheless, we must all acknowledge that despite these efforts, much more remains to be done.

But before we turn plastic into a villain, let us consider some realities.

Firstly, plastic has been, and for the foreseeable future will remain, an indispensable material to mankind. Not only do we make extensive use of plastic in our daily lives, but it is vital in various fields such as healthcare. Hospitals simply cannot function without this material.

According to an article in The Economist, the overall cost of plastic pollution compares favourably with other sorts of man-made harm. Making a kilogramme of virgin plastic releases two to three kilogrammes of carbon dioxide, about as much as the same amount of steel and five times more than wood. Additionally, plastic weighs much less, meaning more products can be produced and in turn leads to less carbon emissions associated with shipping and transportation.

So let us not deny that plastic has a social benefit. The more relevant question is, how are we dealing with plastic once it becomes post-consumer waste?

A consultation paper on the introduction of a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles is imminently expected

The European Strategy for Plastics seeks to bring about change, as it presents a new platform for stakeholders to cooperate through deeper dialogue and shared responsibility.

It points to the need for action aimed at improving the quality of recycling, curbing plastic waste and littering, driving innovation and harnessing global action. This requires a concerted effort on the part of all European and, by extension, global stakeholders. 

This strategy also advocates boosting recycling as an efficient resource management tool through which producers take responsibility for their products’ end of life.

Last year, GreenPak Coop recovered 60 per cent of plastics placed on the market by its members (GreenPak covers 70 per cent of the Maltese market).

The Strategy seeks to introduce certification for recycling plants in the EU and third countries to increase quality sorting and recycling. This will increase the use of recovered plastics to make new products.

Moreover, targeted consumer information and educational campaigns, such as those run by national EPR schemes in close cooperation with local authorities, do help boost consumer awareness of waste sorting, anti-littering and the importance of recycling.

In recent years, millions of euros have been invested to produce recyclable plastic containers and bottles to extend the life of a single item through a sort of reincarnation.

But we must hold our hands up. There is far too much overuse of plastics in certain cases, indiscriminate littering and insufficient awareness when it comes to disposal. Marine litter, an international matter and of direct local consequence, is a global problem.

The EU should support the introduction of adequate and sustainable waste management and treatment systems in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

Countries such as Malta, which opted to implement Extended Producer Responsiblity (EPR), are in a good position to contribute to raising international standards on sorted plastic waste and recycled plastics.

EPR has a vital role to play within the plastics strategy, not only financially but by helping to optimise waste management practice across the value chain through a holistic approach.

The government has also made a commitment to step up the recycling effort, mooting the idea of issuing penalties for householders who do not make proper use of the many recycling services on offer.

A consultation paper on the introduction of a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles is imminently expected.

However, while any initiative to tackle our littering and waste problem is commendable, we would be labouring under an illusion if we think measures of this nature are a panacea.

As Plastics Europe starts meeting in Malta today for a two-day conference to uncover the latest solutions, strategies and insights on marine litter, much will depend on how these measures will operate, whether people will use them and whether they will be adequately enforced. Furthermore, we also need to bear in mind that the issue of waste extends far beyond plastic containers.

What happens to our waste, and whether it pollutes our environment, is very much down to each and every one of us.

Mario Schembri is CEO of GreenPak Coop and a director on the board of the Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance.