The minister was speaking at the conference organised by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) and the Malta Enterprise, entitled Environment as an Opportunity for Entrepreneurs and Industry.

He explained that the office will be a part of the Ministryís structure, and will coordinate all the governmentís corporate responsibility with regards to the environment.

Among the initiatives planned, the office will identify ìGreen Leadersî within each ministry and government agency. These officials will be responsible for training the employees of their respective workplace in ìgreen work practicesî. There will also be a drive towards ìgreen procurement,î whereby the ministries and government agencies will be encouraged to source products that are eco-friendly-.

Mr Pullicino stressed that there are clear economic advantages for entrepreneurs that decide to run their business in an eco-efficient way. The issue was treated at an informal environmental conference he had attended the previous weekend in Maastricht, he said. There, an emphasis was made on how eco-efficient innovations can offer great opportunities for competitiveness and employment throughout Europe.

These innovations, when implemented, save costs through a reduction of material and energy expenditure and improve quality, he continued. Furthermore they increase the cost-effectiveness of compliance with environmental regulations and enhance reliability, durability and efficiency.

As is the case with all innovations, new eco-efficient solutions are perceived as a risky investment, especially among SMEs. He said that at the Maastricht conference he suggested that the EU undertake a number of initiatives geared towards this category. In this connection he mentioned the dissemination of information on eco-efficient technologies with SMEs and the set up of centres of excellence throughout Europe, as examples.

The Dutch presidency seems to be driving towards this concept; having the EU strengthen its competitiveness through eco-efficient innovations. The idea is to avoid the high social and environmental costs of in-action and capitalising on the economic benefits of cost saving, creating new markets and improving product quality.

The minister also spoke about the controversial eco-contribution bill, which is currently being discussed in parliament.

He repeated the arguments that have been made in recent days and said that the government was committed to ensuring a healthier environment. However, he cautioned that such a programme costs money.

“We have become used to not having to pay anything specifically for our domestic waste collection and management, but this does not mean that it does not cost anything... I can say that this year’s expenditure for Wasteserv is estimated at around Lm4 million,” he said.

In addition, the minister explained that there are projects in the pipeline to strengthen and develop new infrastructure at an estimated cost of Lm32 million ,of which the EU would contribute some Lm24 million.

If we were not members of the EU, the cost of implementing a waste management strategy in our country would be exorbitant, he said adding, however, that the government has to start introducing measures that are intended to make the polluter pay while altering the consumer trends of our society.

This is the mind-set behind the eco-contribution, he stressed. “Being here today gives me a golden opportunity to reiterate the government’s intention that the eco-contribution should serve as an incentive for the private sector to propose and implement collection and disposal systems.”

He pointed out that the bill specifies that government has the authority to exempt any products from the eco-contribution system if private entrepreneurs decide to enter, or put in place, a collection system.

Moreover, he added, five per cent of the revenue generated from the eco-contribution will be allocated as grants to the private sector to aid the setting up of such collection systems.

In conclusion, Mr Pullicino said that the government had set the ball rolling and it was now up to private industry to take up the challenge and assume its responsibilities to ensure a better future for the present and future generations.