Waste management has been denoted by the government as a 2019 Budget priority. In itself this shows that in recent years during both administrations we have lacked the guts to introduce initiatives or legislation to face this growing waste scenario.
I will outline a number of proposals which the government should consider in order to achieve results in relation to the managing of waste and with an aim to reach ever-increasing recycling targets.
Proposal 1: Legislate mandatory separation of waste at source.
Residents and commercial establishments, authorities, offices and the Horeca industry would all be obliged to separate waste. Today, waste separation is voluntary and this is one of the reasons why there are no economies of scale and why targets are not reached or exceeded.
This legislation would support Wasteserv’s current initiative to provide separation bins to each household. Without mandatory legislation to support this initiative, the bins provided would finish as receptacles for onions or potatoes.
Proposal 2: Increase landfilling cost to its real cost.
In 2012 the landfilling cost was estimated at €60 per ton excluding VAT. The then administration had increased landfilling gate receipt from 99 cents per ton to €20 per ton in 2010 with a plan to continue to increase the gate receipt €10 yearly.
However, for reasons well known, the price has remained the same since 2010, even though we are in breach of the Landfill Directive. Wasteserv is surely aware that landfilling costs are much more than €20 per ton. The increase in landfilling costs in itself increases waste separation.
The government’s aim is to collect organic waste as from the end of this month. This should not be voluntary, it needs to be mandatory
Wasteserv statistics show that in 2017 local councils landfilled 139,000 tons of mixed waste. Projections already show an increase of six per cent for 2018.
This will continue if the government does not increase the landfilling fee and ascertaining that local councils pay the full price for landfilling – against the background of a polluter pays principle – as soon as possible.
Proposal 3: Commercial establishments should be mandated to take the lead in the extended polluter pays principle.
The introduction of a PAYT (Pay as You Throw) system is needed together with the introduction of a different coloured bag for commercial establishments of any nature.
The PAYT will in itself set in motion additional green jobs and a new collection scenario. It would create the divide to ascertain that the commercial community does not use services at present in place for residents by local councils.
Proposal 4: A national strategy for bring-in sites should be established taking into consideration a rationale of minimally one set for every 400 occupied residencies.
Despite the costs involved in maintaining these sites, it is imperative that residents have access to waste separation all the time. The above proposals would complement the introduction of a Beverage Container Refund System and create also the economies of scale for PROs (Producer Responsibility Organisations) to increase collection volumes. While the government plans to build a WtE plant, it is imperative that waste minimisation followed by more recycling remains the top of the agenda in waste management.
These proposals would support totally the government’s aim to collect organic waste as from the end of this month.
This should not be voluntary, it needs to be mandatory. As a country we need to admit that, to date, our waste management policies and approaches have failed.
Voluntary approaches have not produced the desired results. We have been too lenient with those who generate waste far too much.
As waste generators we are the generation that will be remembered for filling up our only landfill to capacity. It should hurt us all. We cannot be proud of this achievement. It is high time we turned the tide.
The government, through its pre-Budget document has placed waste management a priority issue. In itself it speaks miles, now let us together take the above decisions to start giving back to our gem of an island what it truly deserves.
Joe Attard is chief executive officer, GreenMT.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece