CONSULTATION BRIEF
Start date: 27 January 2025
Closing date: 24 February 2025
Title of the public consultation: Extended Producer Responsibility on Fishing Gear Containing Plastic
Ministry: Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness (MEEC)
Entity: Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)
- Background
In June 2019, the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction on the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (known as the Single Use Plastic or SUP Directive). The SUP Directive targets the most commonly found single-use plastic (SUP) items abandoned on European beaches, including fishing gear containing plastic, through different measures tailored to achieve the most effective results. In order to transpose the SUP Directive, Malta has already enacted a number of Legal Notices, including the Single-Use Plastic Framework Regulations (S.L. 549.149).
The directive requires Member States to set up Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for plastic fishing gear. Malta already committed to this in its Single-Use Plastic Products Strategy as well as the national Single-Use Plastics Framework Regulations, 2021 (S.L. 549.149), that were publicly consulted in December 2021, with entry into force in September 2022.
To implement this requirement, Malta has drafted the Extended Producer Responsibility (Fishing Gear Containing Plastic) Regulations, 2025. The draft LN establishes the national mechanism whereby all producers placing on the market fishing gear containing plastic are to be financially responsible for the waste management of these products. These EPR costs include collection, transport, treatment, awareness raising measures, data gathering and reporting.
This draft LN applies to producers of fishing gear which includes those natural or legal persons who manufacture, sell or import, and place on the market of Malta fishing gear containing plastic. Fishermen and artisanal makers of fishing gear are excluded from these obligations, unless the fishermen import fishing gear directly.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of fishing gear containing plastic intended to be covered by these regulations:
- Jigs
- Lures
- Artificial bait
- Spinners
- Monofilament
- Braided nylon line
- Floats
- Blobbers
- Nets, including hand held nets.
Producers are to achieve their EPR goals collectively and are therefore required to set up a Producer Responsibility Organisation, authorised by ERA.
The draft LN also proposes a 5% collection target for the separate collection of fishing gear containing plastic as waste for recycling.
Targeted amendments to the Single-Use Plastic Framework Regulations (S.L. 549.149) are also needed so as to remove any reference to the need to set up an EPR for fishing gear containing plastic in view of the fact that this specific LN will now be introduced.
- Consultation
In line with article 55 of the Environment Protection Act (Cap. 549) the public is invited to make submissions to ERA with their comments as to why and how these regulations could be amended.
- Documents
Extended Producer Responsibility (Fishing Gear Containing Plastic) Regulations, 2025
Single-Use Plastic Framework (Amendment) Regulations, 2025
- Submission of feedback
Comments are being invited through the feedback form at publicconsultation.gov.mt or otherwise by email through [email protected].
In addition, a public consultation session in hybrid format will be organised by ERA on Tuesday 11 February 2025 from 16:00 to 17:00 at ERA’s offices (Hexagon House, Spencer Hill, Marsa, MRS 1441) wherein the draft Regulations will be explained. Attendance can be either online or in person. Spaces for attendance to this meeting in-person will be limited. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session wherein members of the public and relevant stakeholders may ask questions.
Please register your interest in attending this meeting at the following link: https://twa.eraportal.org.mt/TWA/eForms/#/embed/139?allowanonymous=1.
Invitations will be sent to those who register closer to the meeting.
- Further notes
Please be informed that comments submitted, together with the identity of the contributor, may be published online at the end of the public consultation, unless the contributor objects to the publication of his/her personal data. In this case, the contribution may be published in anonymous form.
All comments submitted shall be duly considered.