Catering and retail establishments at Valletta Waterfront have, over the last eight months, collected and sent 72 tonnes of inert and organic waste for recycling.

The initiative is the result of collaboration between Valletta Waterfront, the Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association (MHRA) and Green Dot Malta, operators of the GreenPak scheme, which have developed a system for the separation and eventual collection of this waste.

In the last eight months, 60 tonnes of glass, seven tonnes of cardboard, more than three tonnes of plastic, and two tonnes of metal have been sent for recycling.

Separate bins for the different types of waste, including plastic, metal, cardboard and glass at these establishments were introduced to replace the ‘single’ waste bins previously in use.

To celebrate the success of the first stage of the project, Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism Mario de Marco awarded certificates of merit to the best three performing shops – Agenda Book Shop, CasaNova, and Q Bar.

The project began on 4 December, after the collection methods were agreed on following meetings with the relevant parties – mainly VISET management, the sub-contractor that was to carry out the service, and the Valletta Waterfront tenants.

Collection of glass is from specific bins within the outlets and also through a recycling bank in the swill area. Recycling banks for the disposal of cardboard, metal and plastic are also in the swill area. Separate collection of these waste streams is organised reflecting the seasonality of catering and retail operations at Valletta Waterfront.

The introduction of waste separation also has another beneficial environmental effect as it reduces CO² emissions. As less material was being disposed of in the organic waste stream, VISET decided to reduce its twice-daily collection of 20 skips to a once-daily collection of 14 skips. This has a positive effect on the environment, as there is less traffic on the roads and therefore less CO² emissions.

MHRA president Kevin DeCesare commented, “The MHRA has been lobbying quite strongly over the years in favour of sustainable tourism and would like its members to support initiatives that will benefit the Maltese Islands’ environment which is so essential for the continuous development of the islands’ tourism.

“When MHRA approached VISET management with the idea of a project aimed to support waste separation by the catering and retail establishments at Valletta Waterfront, these were most receptive and we roped in and encouraged GreenDot Malta to run the project.

“Thanks to the professionalism of both parties and enthusiasm of the tenants, the project was a success and MHRA wants to thank all for their contribution. VISET has now decided to continue waste separation at Valletta Waterfront on a permanent basis. We encourage the catering establishments to support this for their own benefit and that of the tourism sector.”

VISET’s chief executive John Portelli added, “As one of the leading entertainment destinations on the island set against a historical backdrop, we believe our role goes beyond that of enhancing the Valletta Waterfront experience. We firmly believe that as good corporate citizens we have a wider role to play in our environment. With this in mind, we are supporting GreenPak’s initiative and have signed a specific contract with it for continued waste segregation.”

Green Dot Malta CEO Mario Schembri, on his part, remarked, “The operation of this pilot project, which has been running since last December, is subsidised by Green Dot Malta and will continue to be monitored in the coming months. If every zone or locality in Malta takes up such initiatives, there could be an instant marked improvement both in our direct environment as well as in our commitments to achieve the EU targets set for Malta.

“However, while companies and other organisations may be well-meaning regarding waste disposal, good intentions are not enough. These companies and organisations need to be supported with the right infrastructure. Green Dot Malta is prepared to deliver that support.”

Over the past five years, GreenPak has been recovering waste for recycling from member companies that lack the infrastructure to recycle their waste according to their obligations.

Through the waste segregation and collection pilot project, Green Dot Malta has explored how to increase its own capacity for waste collection and ways how to embark on further initiatives.