Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1335955
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 3 FEBRUARY 2021 NEWS K ARL AZZOPARDI THE private sector should be incentivised to invest in sort- ing and recycling facilities, en- vironmental NGOs have sug- gested to government. The Long-term Waste Man- agement Plan in the Maltese Islands, follows a document by the Auditor General Charles Deguara, who in a report pub- lished on Monday showed how Malta is lagging in national and waste management tar- gets. The report finds that inad- equate waste separation at source is leading to recyclable waste being dumped in land- fills. This, Deguara noted, is by far the most expensive solution from a financial and environ- mental standpoint. The NGOs said more aware- ness on waste separation is required among the general public, stating there is an issue with "trust" in waste collection. "Sometimes when it is rain- ing heavily, a large number of garbage bags are carried away and not collected. This is a huge problem, in particular for non-biodegradable items. Suggestion to encourage waste disposal in communal skips / bring-in sites or to narrow the waste collection timeframe," the NGOs said. They said that while a shift top mandatory recycling would be the optimal solution, the country requires a good transi- tion which would properly sup- port households. "We appreciate the reduction of black bag collection to twice weekly, but we suggest that this is eventually reduced to once a week. This should be coupled with specific collections for nappies and sanitary products," they said. On food waste, the NGOs said measures should be put in place to limit food waste. "Policies should be in place to ensure that hospitality and retail are not allowed to dis- pose of leftover food which is in good condition. It must be donated to food banks or chari- ties. This is mentioned. It must be put in place and enforced, the report read. Accountability of public au- thorities must also be ensured according to the NGOs, who insisted on the importance of breaking down waste manage- ment targets to local council region level, while supporting local councils to help reach these targets with a realistic budget. The landfilling of industrial waste should be prohibited, the NGOs said. "Industries must sort waste and if no system is currently in place to manage their hazard- ous waste, they should be con- strained to manage or export the waste themselves," the re- port read. Dumping of construction waste at sea should not be al- lowed, they said. Martin Galea De Giovanni, chairperson of Friends of the Earth Malta said the "damning NAO report" shows a clear fail- ure in the country's waste man- agement strategy. "We understand that some decisive measures might not be popular with some sectors, but unless bold steps are tak- en now, the economic, social and environmental price to pay will be even higher in the long term," he said. Environmental NGOs call for greater awareness, better incentives in waste management strategy MATTHEW VELLA THE independent political can- didate Arnold Cassola has filed a judicial protest against Trans- port Malta, over illegal signage purporting to bar access to the Bahrija countryside at Fomm ir- Riħ. The signs claim the surround- ing fields around the Fomm ir- Riħ roads are private and that therefore they cannot be ac- cessed by the public. Prof. Cassola made reference to signage affixed at the edge of the main roads lining the garigue and fields in Bahrija, which he said were abusive and illegal. "The signage wards off people from enjoying the coun- tryside by alerting them that it is purportedly private proper- ty... it appears this signage was affixed in breach of the 2004 legal notices regulating them." Cassola said TM was the sole authority for such signage on roads, and it was its duty to re- move any such signage without proper permits in place. "I am asking TM to carry out the necessary verifications on this signage and to remove it if it so results that there is no permit for the signs." Cassola questions legality of Bahrija 'no trespassing' signage in judicial protest 'Private Property. Enjoy the countryside from the road': Independent political candidate Arnold Cassola (inset) says Transport Malta must verify whether Bahrija signage is indeed legal