A new system of differentiated gate fees will start to apply as of 1 January 2023 so that Malta can continue moving towards its environmental targets.
With these changes, those services that are currently offered to the public free of charge, namely door-to-door, bulky waste collection, the use of Civic Amenity Sites and the Roadshow Truck service will not be affected. This is intended to prioritise the environment without hindering the efforts that are already being made by the public.
This was announced during a press conference that was addressed by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli together with WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca at the ECOHIVE Complex.
Minister Miriam Dalli explained how Malta has the highest landfilling rate among European Union countries. “There are many negative impacts associated with landfills such as the visual impact, the problems with smells, and the take up of agricultural land amongst others”. She said that in order to address these challenges, it was necessary to take decisions that should have been taken twenty years ago that will start the transition so that by 2035 Malta’s landfilling rate of 90% goes down to 10%.
Minister Dalli stated that this government is committed to working together with stakeholders and taking decisions that prioritise the environment so as to safeguard the future of our children.
WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca explained how over the years landfills were the source of major problems. He said that inaction will create new environmental plagues that would go against the work that was done in recent years to rehabilitate the landfills of Wied Fulija in Żurrieq and Qortin in Gozo. He also explained how WasteServ already has everything in place to enforce this system in a way that excludes any abuse as of this January. He pointed out that with the €500 million ECOHIVE investment, the country took its first step away from the policy of the past and with today’s changes, another step forward is being taken to concretely incentivise the commercial sector to separate their waste, with the next step being the mandatory separation.
This change will only be affecting those operators who dispose of waste directly at WasteServ’s facilities. The gate free for mixed waste which is currently at €20 per tonne will increase to €40 as of 1 January 2023 and an annual increase of €20 will apply until gate fees reach €120 by 2037. There will be no change in the gate fees for recyclable and organic waste which are currently at 0.50c per tonne and €20 per tonne respectively. This means that those operators who do not yet separate their commercial waste will start saving money if they separate their waste when making use of WasteServ’s facilities.
In the coming months, WasteServ will be inaugurating a state-of-the-art facility in Ħal Far that will be processing electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), tyres, wood, mattresses, flat glass, expanded polystyrene, textiles and gypsum. As stipulated in the European funds contract for this project, the gate fees for these materials will be differentiated according to the real costs involved to treat these materials. This mechanism will continue to encourage the industry to reduce and separate waste as mixed waste will be the most expensive to dispose of at WasteServ’s facilities by 2027.
These changes are part of the Long-Term Waste Management Plan which is intended for Malta to reach its environmental targets. In 2021, WasteServ broke the record in terms of recyclable materials processed and exported, and so decisions like these are crucial to reach the more ambitious environmental goals. More details on these gate fees will be available on WasteServ’s website and at WasteServ’s facilities.
Photos: MEEE, DOI
