The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) hosted a Seminar on Waste Management which brought together various government entities, stakeholders and Regional and Local Councils. The seminar served as an important platform for discussion, knowledge sharing, and facilitate collaboration, further strengthening ERA’s commitment to environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance.
Building upon the success of previous seminars organised by ERA, the event featured a series of presentations by ERA and invited stakeholders. Notable contributions included the Local Enforcement System Agency (LESA), Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) sharing its role in promoting sustainability within the sector and Community Police emphasizing the importance of community involvement to maintaining cleanliness in local communities. The Koperattiva Għawdxija tal-Indafa Pubblika Limitata (KIP Gozo) was also invited to share their bespoke system as a case of good practice in the collection of waste from Gozitan commercial establishments, most of which operating within the catering industry.
Through the discussions ERA provided various updates on key areas such as ERA’s general functions and responsibilities, while also focussing further on permitting, compliance and enforcement which are key topics in the area of waste management.
Apart from the enforcement action undertaken by the Police and LESA, ERA conducted 5,632 shifts on litter enforcement throughout 2024. These inspections resulted in 1,073 administrative fines for non-compliance to the National Waste Collection Schedule together with 1,014 official warnings for lack of compliance to Mandatory Separation legislation. This represents an increase in the number of litter fines over previous years, indicating the effectiveness of the risk-based approach adopted by ERA towards litter waste enforcement.
Apart from litter enforcement, ERA shared the results attained on other waste illegalities throughout 2024, namely the issuance of 135 fines on waste carriers, 12 fines on waste dumping and 15 fines on incineration of waste.
These statistics exclude the various enforcement actions taken by ERA on other wide ranging environmental responsibilities regulated by the Authority such as, inter alia, enforcement action on facilities requiring an environmental permit, enforcement on the trade of protected species, extended producer responsibility and environmental damage to protected areas, habitat and protected trees.
The seminar provided an invaluable opportunity for local and regional councils to voice their concerns, engage in meaningful dialogue, and contribute to the ongoing improvement of waste management practices. ERA remains committed to fostering collaboration and enhancing waste management strategies through continued outreach and partnerships. ERA looks forward to further strengthening its relationships with stakeholders and continuing to improve waste management efforts in the years ahead.
4 March
