It’s almost as if the interest in Malta’s environment is conveniently used to make it seem as if it is being prioritised, but actions tend to speak louder than words.

As part of the government’s efforts in battling single-use plastics (SUPs) and in line with the budget speech, Malta is also banning the sale of various single-use plastic products as of 2022 – but again, have they really been banned?

Lovin Malta spoke to two leading figures in Malta’s environmental scene, Founder of Żibel Andrew Schembri, and environmental patroller Cami Appelgren on the matter. 

“It goes towards both parties –  that all their events have no waste management plans, no guidelines to reduce single-use items, nobody has even thought about the wind this weekend and the banners that both parties set up across malta that have been damaged and have blown away in some areas,” Schembri told the newsroom.

“There are no messages to attendees at these political events to respect the locals and to not throw items on the floor,” he said.

“Everyone talks the talk but when it comes to implementation we are, as always, severely lacking in all areas,” he stressed. 

Appelgren also similarly said that an example should be given by politicians, and there needs to be an element of them leading the way.

“Both parties should take into consideration that they have to be role models. I would take for granted that since both parties promote that nature will have a priority, they would lead the way and obviously implement reduction of single-use items in their party event guidelines,” Appelgren explained.

“This would also apply to aiming at reducing leaflets pre-election which at the moment is littering our direct environment in every locality,” she said, referring to the copious amount of leaflets being distributed to private households.

It’s imperative that as a country, we start looking at issues related to the environment with utmost priority, and not when it serves our own agenda only.

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