ADPD-The Green Party tinnota l-pubblikazzjoni mill-Wasteserv tal-aktar statistika riċenti dwar l-immaniġġjar tal-iskart. Minħabba diversi raġunijiet, fosthom għexieren ta’ snin ta’ ħela ta’ żmien u ta’ traskuraġni fl-immaniġġjar tal-iskart, bħala pajjiż għadna lura, għalkemm ma nistgħux ma ninnotawx, fl-aħħar,  titjib f’dan is-settur. It-tnaqqis ta’ kważi terz fil-kwantità tal-iskart li jispiċċa fil-miżbla, u li kien hemm żieda sinifikanti fil-ġbir ta’ skart organiku u riċiklabbli fosthom minn entitajiet kummerċjali. L-emfasi dejjem kellu jkun u jibda min-negozji li jiġġeneraw ammonti kbar ta’ skart.

Dr Melissa Bagley, Deputat Chairperson u kandidat fuq Burżebbuġa qalet:Nemmnu li l-immaniġġjar effettiv tal-iskart għandu jibda fil-livell tal-produzzjoni u l-importazzjoni. Kull min ipoġġi prodotti fis-suq, inkluż il-bejjiegħ, għandu jkun responsabbli għall-ġbir tal-kontenituri vojta wara l-użu. Dan jinkludi li ħwienet u distributuri jkunu obbligati jiġbru lura kontenituri vojta, mingħajr skużi u eżenzjonijiet bl-addoċċ.

Bħala membri tal-Unjoni Ewropea, irridu naraw li, għall-ġid tagħna stess li jitħaddmu sew ir-regolamenti u direttivi Ewropej li jpoġġu penalitajiet fuq plastik li ma jinġabarx lura jew li mhux riċiklat kif suppost. Dan għandu jkun inkluż fil-politika nazzjonali bħala strument effettiv kontra t-tniġġis mill-plastik.

Irridu naraw l-introduzzjoni ta’ sistemi ta’ dispensers f’ħwienet u postijiet kummerċjali sabiex il-klijenti jkunu jistgħu jġibu u jużaw il-kontenituri tagħhom stess għall-prodotti likwidi jew bulk. Dan jnaqqas b’mod sinifikanti l-bżonn ta’ pakkett wieħed u jippromwovi kultura ta’ użu mill-ġdid tal-kontenituri. Infakkru li skont ir-Regolamenti dwar l-ippakkeġġar u l-iskart li dan jiġġenera kull negozju li joffri ikel take-away għandu joffri l-għażla li l-klijenti jiġbru l-ikel fil-kontenituri tagħhom mingħajr spejjeż addizzjonali. Fl-istess waqt suppost hemm restrizzjonijiet fuq kontenituri li jintużaw darba biss. 

F’dan il-kuntest, nappoġġjaw l-iskoraġġiment tal-xiri bla bżonn ta’ prodotti bħall-ilma fil-fliexken, kemm jekk huma tal-plastik jew tal-ħġieġ. Anki jekk il-materjal jista’ jkun riċiklabli, l-użu eċċessiv tiegħu jżid b’mod mhux sostenibbli l-ammont ta’ skart ġġenerat. Għad baqa’ ħafna xi jsir f’dal-qasam. It-tnaqqis tal-iskart, kemm plastik u kemm ħġieġ għand jkun il-prijorità assoluta.

Nirrikonoxxu li, sfortunatament, f’sistema konsumerista li tiġġenera ħafna skart, impjant bħall-inċineratur huwa essenzjali speċjalment għal ċertu tip ta’ skart. Madankollu, dan m’għandux ikun tant kbir li jispiċċa jintuża bħala skuża biex niġġeneraw aktar skart bl-addoċċ jew biex nabbandunaw sforzi biex jitnaqqas l-ammonti ta’ skart u tiġi mminata l-ekonomija ċirkolari li għandha fit-tfulija tagħha. Il-fokus għandu jibqa’ l-ewwelnett fuq il-prevenzjoni, u inizjattivi li jnaqqsu radikalment l-konsum u l-ġenerazzjoni ta’ skart. Il-prijorità ghandha tkun li l-iskart iggenerat ghandu jkun imminimizzat.

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Progress is evident in waste management, but slow to catch on.

ADPD-The Green Party acknowledges the recently published Wasteserv report on waste management. For a variety of reasons, amongst them decades of delays in waste management, as a country we are slow to take on the necessary measures, despite the fact that there have been major improvements in this sector.  The amount of landfill waste has gone down by nearly a third, and there have been significant increases in the amount of organic and recyclable waste, including from commercial entities. Indeed, the focus should have been on businesses generating large amounts of waste from the start.

ADPD-The Green Party Deputy Chairperson and candidate for Birżebbuġa Dr Melissa Bagley said: We believe that the effective management of waste should start at production and importation.  Every company involved in providing products, including retailers, should bear the responsibility for empty containers after use.  This includes distributors and shops, without any excuses and arbitrary exemptions.  As members of the EU, and for our own good, we need to see that the EU regulations and directives concerning the collection of plastic containers or their recycling are enforced.  This should be included in our national politics as an effective instrument against plastic pollution.

We need to see the introduction of dispensers in shops and other commercial spots so that customers can bring their own containers for liquid products or quantities in bulk.  This would greatly reduce the need for single-use packaging and promote a culture of reuse of containers.  We must point out that according to the EU regulations on packaging and waste, every eatery offering a take-away service should allow customers the choice to bring their own containers at no extra charge.  At the same time, there should be restrictions on single-use containers.   

In the context, we are in favour of reducing reliance on products that are considered non-essential, such as bottled water, whether this is sold in plastic or glass bottles.  Even if the material is recyclable, excessive use is not sustainable as it will lead to an increase in waste generated.  There is yet much to be done in waste management; the reduction of waste, whether plastic or glass, should be a top priority.   

We recognise that, unfortunately, in a consumerist society that generates significant waste, a waste incinerator is essential for some forms of waste.  In spite of this, this should not be used as an excuse to generate more waste or to abandon any effort to reduce waste or undermine the circular economy which is still in its infancy.  The primary focus should always be prevention, and initiatives to radically reduce consumption and waste generation.  The priority should always be waste reduction.