People deserve the full picture of Malta's waste situation as the selective presentation of figures creates an impression that does not reflect the serious problems our country continues to face, the Nationalist Party said Satuirday.

The figure of 1,092 kilogrammes of waste per person in 2024, on which reports that Malta generates the least waste in the European Union were based, excludes major categories of mineral waste, including construction and demolition waste, which has been a problem for years. This qualification is clearly stated in Eurostat's publication. The figure therefore does not represent all the waste generated in Malta.

In fact, according to the NSO, total solid waste generated in Malta increased by 17.6% that same year, reaching 3.5 million tonnes. This is an essential part of the picture that the public deserves to know.

The European Commission's 2026 Country Report on Malta also shows that:

Municipal waste, meaning household waste and similar waste from other sources, reached 621 kilograms per person in 2024, compared with an EU average of 517 kilograms. Malta's figure was therefore around 20% higher;

Malta's municipal waste recycling rate stood at just 16.7% in 2024, compared with an EU average of 48%;

In 2023, 74% of municipal waste ended up in landfill, compared with an EU average of just 22%.

The PN said it acknowledged the improvement in plastic packaging recycling and the efforts of families and businesses to separate their waste. Yet even in this area, the rate of 35.1% in 2024 remained below the EU average of 42.4%. Progress in one category does not erase failures across the rest of the system.

Minister Miriam Dalli must explain the Government's strategy and plan to reduce municipal waste, increase recycling and reduce reliance on landfill, with clear targets and regularly published results.

Families are doing their part, and they deserve a Government that tells the whole truth, the PN said.