Category: Press Releases

The ERA Board has unanimously approved an application for the replacement of the old breakwater in Buġibba, including new passenger facilities for the introduction of public ferry services as an alternative mode of transport to and from this locality. This ferry service is envisaged to help reduce road trips by vehicles to more sustainable alternatives at sea.

The application for this environmental permit, which was filed by Infrastructure Malta (IM), was submitted to the Environment and Resources Authority following the issuance of the development permit by the Planning Authority. The applicant requested the replacement and extension of the existing breakwater to include additional mooring facilities, new ferry landing facilities and a passenger terminal intended to further extend and diversify alternative modes of transport through an additional public ferry service connecting this locality with Valletta and other coastal localities.

The ERA Board approved the works method statement submitted by the applicant and imposed several additional measures to ensure the necessary protection to the area’s environment during all the three phases of the proposed works.

For more information, visit https://ep-eris.eraportal.org.mt/

8 May 2023

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