Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia announced that, amongst other things, single-use plastics will be banned starting January of 2022. The Minister confirmed that single-use plastics will be banned from sale this coming January after their importation was prohibited during the first month of this year.
This ban will concern plastic bags, cutlery, straws, plates, cotton buds, food containers and stirrers. The Minister insisted on the importance of moving from a linear economy to a circular one, wherein all the waste goes back to the economy in the form of energy.
Farrugia announced other green initiatives, most notably a national schedule for waste collection. This will standardise the days when different waste is collected. Despite organic waste collection being unanimous across Malta, collection of grey and black garbage bags still varies from locality to another.
The standardisation of waste collection will make it more practical for everyone to recycle efficiently, with the government intending to recycle paper separately from plastic and metal by 2023. Last but not least, Farrugia announced 130 measures as part of a nationwide nine-year plan to create the aforementioned circular economy.
There will be no changes to organic waste collection, still to be collected three times a week. Glass collection will also be collected once monthly.
Plastic and metal will be collected once a week, with a separate weekly collection introduced for paper recyclable waste. Mixed waste however (black bags) will be collected up to two times a week, reducing it from three.
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Photo Source: Aaron Farrugia FB, The Conversation
