The Local Councils’ Association (LCA) has proposed a gradual shift from door-to-door waste collection to point-based waste collection, the association’s president Mario Fava told The Malta Independent.

This point-based collection system would see a network of public waste containers – above and/or below ground − that would be grouped according to the national waste separation strategy.

Fava noted that the current waste collection system − which renders footpaths “inaccessible, dangerous, unpleasant, and unhygienic” − is hindering the councils' efforts to promote walking as a sustainable mode of mobility.

This newfound waste collection system would be administered by regional councils instead of local councils and thus enable the reduction of traffic-congested local roads and dangerous emissions.

The choice of containers would be those that integrate best into the urban environment and which are simple to use by people of all abilities, at a height that does not restrict visibility.

The LCA’s proposal includes the use of smart technology for volume monitoring, which would provide the administrator and all stakeholders with valuable data to facilitate planning, educational campaigns and better enforcement

Malta’s annual municipal waste generated per capita is currently higher than most EU countries, at an average of 640kg.

Landfilling is still the predominant waste treatment option and our recycling rate is the lowest amongst EU Member States.

As part of the government’s 2021-2030 ‘Long Term Waste Management Plan’, the Environment Ministry and the Local Council Association have had several meetings to discuss the implementation of Malta’s transition towards a resource efficient and circular economy, reduces pressure on Malta’s waste logistics and infrastructure, as well as reduces the country’s dependence on either exporting waste or landfilling – seeing as land availability is limited.

This newsroom last week also reported how multi-storey park-and-ride car parks at the periphery of localities around Malta is one of several sustainable urban projects being researched by the LCA.