Four centres across Malta and Gozo have diverted items from landfills while funding environmental initiatives. 

The country's Reuse Centres have attracted around 30,000 visitors and generated approximately €100,000 in proceeds since their launch in 2022, with funds being reinvested in environmental projects including indigenous bee conservation. 

Minister for the Environment and Energy Miriam Dalli and Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri visited the Tal-Kus WasteServ CA site in Gozo and witnessed firsthand how Malta is transforming waste into environmental action.

 The €110,000 raised through the reuse initiative is being channelled directly into conservation efforts, including the creation of a 6.5-hectare bee sanctuary at Wied Fulija, Żurrieq, specifically designed to protect Malta's indigenous honeybee species (Apis mellifera ruttneri) - a critical pollinator facing environmental pressures. 

Minister for the Environment and Energy Miriam Dalli highlighted the initiative's broader significance during her Gozo visit: "The success of our Reuse Centres demonstrates that environmental responsibility can yield numerous benefits. This project embodies our commitment to the circular economy while directly funding conservation efforts that protect Malta's unique biodiversity." 

Minister Clint Camilleri said that "the Tal-Kus Reuse Centre has been a success because many families brought in items they no longer used, which were then bought by other people at low prices. In this way we are reducing waste and consuming fewer newly manufactured products. Besides giving objects a new lease of life, we are also directly funding important environmental projects. This bodes well for our vision of a more sustainable Gozo."

The initiative has expanded rapidly since the first centre opened in Ħal Far in June 2022, a statement by the government read. "The network now includes strategically located centres in Xewkija (Gozo), Ħal Luqa, and Imrieħel, with the Gozo centre proving particularly successful in serving the island's tight-knit community. Each location offers carefully curated selections of pre-owned furniture, toys, musical instruments, ceramics, and household items," it said. 

WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca noted that: "The strong public response to our Reuse Centres is very encouraging and it shows that the public has understood the importance of making more sustainable choices in order to continue diverting waste away from landfills."

To maximise accessibility, drop-off points have been established at all six Civic Amenity Sites across Malta and Gozo, to make it easy for residents to donate items that are still in condition for this initiative.

The Ministers also visited the Tal-Kus facility, where they met with the workers and thanked them for their work.