Category: Press Releases

The Environment and Resources Authority is inviting the public to give feedback on the proposed National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2030.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan are driven by the long-term vision established in the National Strategy for the Environment, to have Malta’s biodiversity valued, conserved, restored and sustainably used for the benefit of nature, people and climate, by 2050. In this regard, the Action Plan will step up national efforts to put Malta’s biodiversity on a path to recovery for the benefit of the planet and people.

The Strategy and Action Plan will guide the development of specific policies and actions in relation to biodiversity management at national level, by establishing a strategic framework to enable Malta to achieve the 2050 environmental objectives in a staggered approach. The Action Plan identifies five policy areas where action is necessary: conserving and restoring nature; tackling the drivers of biodiversity loss; using biodiversity sustainably; mainstreaming and awareness-raising; and enhancing implementation and cooperation.

ERA invites the public to submit feedback to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) by email on [email protected], by Tuesday, 28th March 2023.
The Authority will also be reaching out to different stakeholders to further discuss these proposals.

More information is available on https://era.org.mt/national-biodiversity-strategy-and-action-plan-nbsap-to-2030/

28 February 2023

The Environment and Resources Authority has launched an initial public consultation on Malta’s National Strategy and Action Plan for Pollinators 2035.

This policy will establish the national framework to drive and promote the safeguarding of pollinator species and their services through short and long-term actions. Pollinators are very important to the environment and to build its resilience to climate change.

Nearly 90% of wild flowering plants, depend on pollination to survive and thrive, as are many cultivated fruits and vegetables. This means that our environment, food chains and wellbeing are also dependent on such species. Malta has various pollinators, including many small animals like bees, wasps, ants, beetles, flies, midges, butterflies, moths, thrips, as well as birds and small mammals.

The Strategy and Action Plan also aims:

• to improve our understanding of key pollinators;
• to develop targets and actions for their management, also addressing pressures and threats impacting pollinators;
• to contribute to the safeguarding of pollination services even beyond its contribution to the environment; and
• to raise awareness, promote collaboration, and engage the relevant stakeholders, such as local entities and society-at-large.

ERA is inviting the public to submit its comments and feedback on the intent and objectives of the strategy, to guide the process for the development of such Strategy and Action Plan. The consultation will also determine what actions are considered as priorities to safeguard Malta’s pollinators by 2035, and how the public can contribute to this objective.

Submissions can be sent through the feedback form or by email on [email protected] by Monday, 13^th March 2023.

The consultation documents and other related information is available here.

24 February 2023

Two legal notices published today in the Government Gazette are putting into effect the mandatory separation of waste, following a public consultation about these regulations by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) last November.

As from 14 April 2023, two months after the publication of these new regulations, waste separation will be enforcable by law for everyone, including businesses, governmental and non-governmental entities as well as private homes. This means that you will no longer be allowed to dispose of organic waste in the black bag as this will now have to be put into the designated white bag. The same applies to recyclable waste such as plastic and paper and other materials which have to be separated and disposed of in the grey bag designated for recycling. Glass will no longer be allowed to be put in the black or grey bag but must instead be separated and taken out for municipal door-to-doorcollection by itself every first and third Friday of the month, as per existing municipal waste collection schedule.

Nonetheless, during the first six months, between April and October, the authorities will be conducting an educational campaign for the public to familiarise themselves with these new regulations. Throughout this period, persons caught disposing of waste inappropriately will receive a warning. After the lapse of these six months, whoever is caught disposing of waste inadaquately will be fined €75 for businesses and €25 for hoseholds. These fines will double to €150 and €50 respectively if the individual is caught repeatedly disposing of waste inappropriately.

ERA officials and officials from other entities will be carrying out continuous inspections in all localities to assure that the waste that is being deposited for door-to-door collection is separated in line with the regulations, in the the appropriate bags taken out on the correct days. This follows a new schedule that was introduced in January by the regional councils, who are responsible for waste collection from households on behlaf of the local concils.

In addition to door-to-door waste collection, residents in Malta and Gozo can also continue to use other methods, including taking recyclable waste in the I-bins and bring in sites in every locality or in the roadshow truck and the civic amenity sites operated by Wasteserv, as well making use of the free bulky waste collection service offered by the local councils.

More information on how to separate waste can be found here: https://www.wsm.com.mt/en/waste-separation-guide

Further information

Over the past few years, significant progress has been achieved in terms of household waste separation. This was possible thanks to the various information campaigns educating the public on how to separate waste. In fact, from year to year the amount of recycled waste for exportation has increased.

However, about 40% of the waste that is thrown in the black bag, is organic waste (food), which we are supposed to throw in the white bag to be processed for the generation of clean energy. This means that this waste is ending up in landfills when it could be turned into a resource. The same applies to recyclable waste, as many materials that can be put in the grey bag are still thrown in the black bag.

With the introduction of mandatory waste separation, the authorities are working to further mitigate the impacts of waste on the environment. The more waste we separate properly, the less landfills are needed. Currently, 90% of Malta’s municipal waste ends up in landfills. The national target according to the Malta Waste Management Plan 2021-2030, and according to the waste and landfill directives of the European Union is that by 2035, municipal waste to landfills is decreased to 10%.

14 February 2023

On the 27th January 2023 the Board of the Environment & Resources Authority confirmed the issuing of €7,270 in contested fines for seven waste legislation infringements.

A waste carrier who had collected a refrigerator as part of the bulky waste service was fined €1,200 for removing its compressor prior to depositing it at the Mrieħel Civic Amenity Site. ERA enforcement officers regularly monitor different waste collection processes, including WEEE items and other objects collected as bulky waste from households through the services provided by local government contractors, to ensure that no abuses are taking place.

As had happened in various other instances in the past, another waste carrier was fined €850 for mixing organic and black bags together in the same refuse collection vehicle, without an adequate separator.

In another case, a refuse collection vehicle owner was fined €1,200 for depositing waste from a waste vehicle into a Bring-In Site, in breach of applicable permit conditions. Such malpractices swamp waste disposal facilities created for public use with waste from municipal waste collections.

Another fine of €1,200 was issued to a registered waste carrier whose vehicle was used to carry waste for illegal incineration. A warning was also issued to the contravener noting that any further waste-related breaches will result in the revocation of their ERA permit to transport waste, with the possibility of even heftier fines.

Another €1,200 fine was imposed on an individual whose employees were caught incinerating waste in a countryside premises.

The Board also turned down a fireworks factory’s contestation of a fine for irregular dumping of waste. The organisation argued that the waste was dumped in the indicated location as it consisted of pyrotechnic waste. However, ERA confirmed that in fact this material included mixed waste comprising even plastic bottles and pieces of furniture, and not only pyrotechnic material. The organisation had already been issued a number of warnings in this regard however the irregularities persisted. The applicable €1,200 was confirmed, along with an order for the organisation to clean the site in question.

The ERA Board also confirmed a fine to a company that had failed to settle dues related to its registration as a producer of packaging waste, as applicable by law.

Reports of environmental or waste irregularities can be submitted to ERA on 2292 3500 or via the ERA customer care app on https://cc-eris.eraportal.org.mt/new-case/submit-new-case.

4 February 2023

In the past weeks, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and Ambjent Malta (AM) continued conservation and rehabilitation works in area known as il-Qala ta’ Santa Marija and in other natural sites in Comino.

As part of this work that started in 2017, this year these entities are working on the restoration of the marshland in the area, with the setting up of two freshwater and brackish water ponds near il-Qala ta’ Santa Marija. This was done in order to restore the environment of this area, which naturally attracts many species of flora and fauna, including migratory birds. At the same time, around 1,000 trees and shrubs were planted further adding to those planted in previous years. ERA and Ambjent Malta have contributed to the planting of around 18,000 trees and shrubs on this island in the past five years.

Ambjent Malta and ERA officials have also continued the long-term cleaning and maintenance programme for the other ecologically important sites such as Santa Marija and the Blue Lagoon area. This year, a number of old electricity poles in the Wied l-Aħmar area were removed, a number of demolished rubble walls were rebuilt, wooden fencing around the island’s sand dunes was repaired to prevent trampling, various bulky waste was removed, and a number of invasive alien species which  had been introduced to Comino over the years have been removed.

The two water habitats which were created in the Santa Marija area have been positioned amongst plants and trees in order to restore the natural brackish water habitats that were once present in the area. ERA and Ambjent Malta are working to gradually restore this site to its natural state. Water habitats are very rare in our country and therefore require every possible form of protection. Prior to these works, this location was being used as a campsite. A new campsite had been created for those who like to go camping in Comino without causing any environmental damage, the campsite is located within an area close by known as Tal-Ful. Ambjent Malta is also working towards setting up new and sustainable sanitary facilities by next year.

This year in addition to ongoing works, ERA has continued to increase its presence on Comino with enforcement officers, especially during the summer months, in order to discourage environmental damage to the natural sites of this island. These officers have helped to reduce the amounts of waste dumped irresponsibly and guided those visiting the island not to walk beyond the established paths.

More information:

Comino is the third largest island in the Maltese archipelago. A number of smaller islets are found close to it, namely, Kemmunett, il-Ħaġriet ta’ bejn il-Kmiemen and l-Iskoll ta’ Taħt il-Mazz. The island and its nearby islets are rich in biodiversity, as you will find several rare and endangered species. The islands are protected under national environmental laws, as well as European laws such as those for Natura 2000 sites.
ERA and Ambjent Malta works in Comino are based on a Management Plan which ensures that the habitats and the different species on this island are conserved, and where necessary improved. This plan was drawn up after a long-term consultation and research process, in the past years.

16 November 2022