The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply, Anton Refalo, has launched the Agricultural Greenhouse Plastic Waste Collection Scheme, a new scheme implemented by Agricultural Resources Malta (RAM) that will provide an organised service for the collection of plastic waste generated by agricultural greenhouses. The initiative is intended to support farmers in waste management while continuing to strengthen environmental protection.
The scheme also represents the implementation of another measure of the Government’s Electoral Manifesto, which aims to support farmers through concrete initiatives while promoting more sustainable agricultural practices. This measure is being implemented in less than a year since the publication of the Electoral Manifesto in which it was proposed.
During the launch, Minister Anton Refalo stressed that this measure is part of the Government’s commitment towards Maltese and Gozitan farmers.
“This is not only a measure in favor of the environment. It is also a measure in favor of the farmer. We believe that protecting the environment and supporting the farmer should go hand in hand,” said the Minister.
The Minister explained that this initiative responds to a real need in the agricultural sector, while helping to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste generated by greenhouses.
The Chief Executive Officer of Agricultural Resources Malta, Marielise Tabone, said that the scheme will help the Agency better understand the needs of farmers and plan more effective services for the sector.
“Today we are taking another step towards a more sustainable, more responsible agriculture and closer to the real needs of our farmers,” said Marielise Tabone.
She explained that, through the scheme, farmers who operate agricultural greenhouses will be able to register their interest so that Agricultural Resources Malta can organise an efficient service tailored to the needs of the sector.
“Our goal is not just to collect the waste generated by agricultural greenhouses, but to build a system that really works for farmers and is sustainable in the long term,” the CEO said.
The scheme is open to registered farmers operating agricultural greenhouses and who hold a valid Farmer Registration Number and Farmer Categorization Certificate. Applications will be assessed by Agricultural Resources Malta and eligible applicants will be contacted regarding collection dates and arrangements.
More information about the scheme and the application process is available on the Agricultural Resources Malta website.
