Momentum proposals: Malta’s Waste Crisis Needs a Real Plan
Malta generates more waste per person than almost any other EU country, yet still relies on landfill and incineration as default solutions. Successive governments have talked about recycling targets and green strategies while doing almost nothing to change the system. Momentum is proposing the following
Comprehensive waste prevention, recovery, reuse, and recycling aligned with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan
Malta must stop treating waste as something to burn or bury and start treating it as a resource. Momentum in Parliament will push to align Malta’s waste policies with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, prioritising prevention first, then recovery, reuse, and recycling. This means building real infrastructure for sorting and processing, not handing out recycling bags and hoping for the best. Incineration and landfill should be last resorts, not the default.
Ban single-use plastic and phase out plastic packaging in supermarkets through producer dialogue
Momentum in Parliament will push for a complete ban on single-use plastic and will work with producers, importers, and sellers to phase out plastic packaging in supermarkets. This is not about punishing businesses. It is about sitting down with industry and finding workable alternatives together, because cooperation will always deliver better results than rules imposed without support.
Implement a clear national roadmap towards zero plastic as part of decarbonisation
Malta talks about going green but has no concrete plan to eliminate plastic waste. Momentum in Parliament will push for a clear, step-by-step national roadmap showing exactly how and when we will reduce plastic use across all sectors of society. This is not a vague aspiration. It is a measurable commitment tied to our wider decarbonisation targets, with milestones, timelines, and accountability built in.
Dr Alastair Farrugia, Momentum’s candidate in the 4th and 5th Districts , said: “Every year Malta sends thousands of tonnes of waste to landfill because no government has had the political will to build a proper system. The EU has a plan and most member states are following it, but Malta is not. Momentum in Parliament will push for the changes that PL and PN have avoided for decades, because our environment cannot wait any longer for them to act.”
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