Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1120087
17 COMMERCIAL maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 MAY 2019 A huge amount of pieces of wood, hundreds of plastic bottle caps, abandoned fishing gear and kilogrammes of other rubbish was collected from Paradise Bay during a three hour clean up. Organised by Betclic Group, the clean up involved a number of other environmental NGOs including Żibel, No to Plastic Malta and environmental activist Raniero Borg. Unfortunately, the area is quite a hot spot for rubbish, due to the fact that waves crash in on the rocks, bringing up with them a huge variety of rubbish, in a reminder of the huge global problem affecting our seas. The clean up was not an easy one, as it focused on a rocky secluded area of the popular swimming zone. In fact, activists and Betclic Group workers had to hike down to the site. All those involved also took the effort to seperate the collected waste, in an attempt to recyle all that is possible, hence reducing the amount of waste that fills our landfills. The clean up forms part of a wider set of initiatives implemented by Betclic Group in Malta and follows the elimination of plastic coffee stirrers, cutlery sets and cups made up of single use plastic. All these were replaced by other durable, environmental friendly options for the company's workers. Bucket loads of plastic and wood collected from Paradise Bay Bucketloads of plastic bottles and caps were collected THE public has a new web app to help improve the environment. This was announced at Santa Lucija by GreenPak's CEO, Ing. Mario Schembri and Vodafone Malta's Director of Enterprise and Business Development Kenneth Spiteri, in the presence of MEP Miriam Dalli. The recently installed iBiNs across Malta and Gozo have doubled the collection of plastic waste. iBiNs, the smart recycling bins that read the content of waste disposed inside them, have gained quick public acceptance with a noted dramatic increase in the collection of recyclable paper, glass, metal and plastics when compared with the same quarter last year. Concurrently, the new system has led to a 23% reduction of trips by collection trucks, reducing vehicle emissions in the process. Earlier GreenPak and Vodafone announced the release to the public of a web app that points you to the nearest available iBiNs. In case the closest one to you happens to be full, the app automatically directs you to the nearest available iBiNs. The web app is found at ibins. greenpak.com.mt with no download necessary. The app works on any mobile device such as smartphones, tablets, portable computers and others. Since early January 2019, the app was been tried and tested among a closed group of 300 persons throughout the islands. As from this year, iBiNs have replaced all the previous recycling skips in 42 localities served by GreenPak. Equipped with smart technology, iBiNs enable citizens to recycle 24/7 in a simpler and more convenient way, while doing away with the unsightly overflowing of recycling bins. Schembri explained: "On selecting the colour-coded image of the iBiN, the app informs you whether an iBiN has free space for your recyclables. If the bin is full, the app guides you to the nearest available iBiN via a Google Map interface. User feedback from the trial period has been positive and we believe that people will be finding it extremely user-friendly and very useful." Spiteri said: "We are delighted to be able to help take the iBins initiative to the next level by supporting the web app; a simple and straightforward tool that pinpoints the nearest available empty bin and empowers citizens to be more environmentally responsible. Helping protect Malta's environment is one of our three strategic pillars and we are therefore committed to using our next generation technology to help redefine the way waste is managed." Miriam Dalli said: "The innovation and use of technology, such as the App being launched today, are important to increase environmental awareness and facilitate the public's options for more sustainable choices. At European Parliament, we have worked on a number of laws to better manage waste in order to reduce it and recycle more. The next step is to implement these laws. In this manner, we can upgrade to the next level to leave a better environment for our children and future generations." During her term as MEP, Dalli has actively urged the EU and member states to promote alternatives to plastic, and further called for the incentivization of upcycling, whereby plastic waste is transformed into new materials. The project has been supported through the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Initiative, and part- financed by the European Regional Development Fund under Operational Programme I 2014-2020 'Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges'. iBiNs web app increases recycling,reduces traffic emissions Ing Mario Schembri (right) explaining to MEP Miriam Dalli how iBiNs' app functions in the presence of Kenneth Spiteri