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Benna Responds To Backlash Over Plastic Straws In Schools

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Cover image: Ruben Overend

Benna has responded to criticism following the rollout of a national scheme providing schoolchildren with a free, single-use carton of milk and plastic straw. Having been accused of adding to Malta’s environmental problems, the Maltese milk company told Lovin Malta how the project came to be. 

“The Free Milk Scheme was a public tender issued by the government. The idea of distributing milk to schools was a government idea that was supported and funded by the EU. Benna had applied to the public call for tender, and Benna had won it,” a company spokesperson said.

He said the idea for the carton and straw was part of the tender.

“The tender had specifications for a 250ml carton with an individual straw distributed to each and every student, and we are following the details of this tender,” he continued.

Benna said that if the government stipulates different specifications then they can change the scheme, but for now the details were “black on white”. 

“At this stage we cannot do anything unless we are the instructed to do so,” he said.

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A number of schools have pledged to ditch plastic straws in their student’s single use milk cartons after people called out the waste and pollution this would cause. 

Primary schools in Għargħur, Siġġiewi, Mellieħa and Birkirkara as well as a school in Wardija and De La Salle College will be finding alternative methods of supplying students with their daily dose of milk. One such method includes using a large carton of milk for the class and every student would be asked to bring a reusable cup themselves.

“The leaders of the country wants us to know that they all take this plastic waste issue seriously. So they decide to go from one big milk carton per class and each kid having their own cup… to this,” said a disappointed Camille Appelgren, a prominent environmentalist, about the scheme in a public post. 

She criticised the plastic packaging used to deliver the milk and accompanying portion of fruit to schools. 

“I agree that fruit is good and milk if someone likes it,” she said, “but give each child an apple or one banana instead – don’t put it in single use plastic. And why serve the milk with a straw?! Of all items, a non-recyclable straw!”

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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