The Ministry for the Environment has announced a new pilot project for the collection of organic waste.

Minister Leo Brincat, along with Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Stefan Buontempo and Wasteserv CEO Tonio Montebello said that the project will run in five localities - Mdina, Bormla, Ta' Xbiex, Ghaxaq and Birkirkara.

The Minister mentioned that the localities chosen represent different demographics and will better highlight the success as well as the problems with the project, which aims to spread to a national level in 2016. He said that all stakeholders were consulted.

Parliamentary Secretary Buontempo highlighted the possible use of waste to create energy, and Mr Montebello mentioned that organic waste could also be used as compost.

The minister hopes that eventually the black back will be phased out, and mentioned that this project was not required by the EU, however the EU has applauded the initiative.

The national campaign for waste management will be complimented by this, Minister Brincat added.

An educational campaign on the organic waste bag has launched, and will see wasteserve representative go door to door in the aforementioned localities, explaining the scheme and what can and can't go into the bag. As an example, food, coffee beans and tea bags are considered organic waste.

Dr Brincat mentioned that free bins and bags for this purpose will also be distributed to the residents.

The plan is for the organic bags to be picked up twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

The use of these bags will begin in October and three months following, another 4 localities, which have yet to be chosen, will join the pilot project.

Wasteserv will also be examining the bags to determine if they are being utilised properly, and the findings will then be distributed to the local councils to see whether more information would need to be delivered to residents.

Concluding, the Wasteserv CEO also spoke of the re-branding of the company, stating that the new colours represent the earth, sea and air, mentioning that the company's new tagline "creating resources from waste" is now at the heart of the company.