Only 10% Of Plastic Packaging Recycled In Malta In 2020 Compared To 38% Average Across Europe
Although recycling has been on the national agenda for many years, the latest data published by Eurostat showed that only 10% of all plastic packaging was recycled in Malta, in 2020 compared to the average of 38% across Europe.
The Netherlands topped the list at 57%, making the contrast even more staggering.
One of the reasons for these poor results is that not enough effort was ever put into the proper development of a circular economy.
Colette Konietzny, the Sustainability Manager of ISO certification company Tuning Fork, postulated that a major reason behind these low figures is that “a large number of bars and restaurants to this very day refuse to recycle their waste”.
Fortunately, the BCRS scheme is now up and running, which should hopefully improve the situation.
One of the issues that Konietzny stresses is the use of bioplastics, plastics that are biologically based or biodegradable, or both.
However, in Malta, the systems to treat these bioplastics have not yet been implemented. This can prove detrimental because as more bioplastics end up in composting facilities, where they do not belong, they are contaminating the recycled waste, causing more damage.
Another issue is the use of single-use plastics. While introducing organic bags was a good start, loopholes in the system quickly emerged. For example, banning carrier bags with handles and limiting the use of plastic bags without handles goes totally against the idea of ‘reuse.’
Additionally, single-use plastics are limited to plastic bearing a thickness of less than 15 microns. This means that people not only still use plastic bags but when they need stronger ones, they end up using two, which doubles the problem. The use of plastic cups also remains permissible, despite plastic plates being banned.
To improve the situation, Konietzny recommends that people use non-plastic versions of everyday items such as cigarette filters and wet wipes, which are biodegradable. Investors should also look for compostable bioplastic packaging in the natural environment and keep an eye on changes in legislation and processes.
“Unless we take this matter seriously, the ultimate environmental price will be paid by us and by future generations,” she warned.
Producers can help educate consumers better by labelling foods and packages on how to dispose of the waste material. Finally, if suppliers can afford to not use plastic and offer a more environmentally friendly alternative, that would be a great step in the right direction and contribute to a more coherent circular economy.
An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated that the data was for 2022, not 2020
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