Society needs to embrace the concept of waste minimisation and think in a sustainable manner, as our behaviour will cause impacts during our lifetime.

The Waste Regulations, S.L. 549.63 transposing Directive 2008/98/EC requires to establish a waste prevention programme(s) containing the measures to be taken before a substance, material or product becomes waste.

The waste prevention programme for Malta is integrated into The Waste Management Plan for the Maltese Islands – A resource Management Approach – 2014-2020.

Waste prevention hierarchy

 

The measures to prevent the generation of waste can act in one or more of the following phases:

  1. Measures that can affect the framework conditions related to the generation of waste;
  2. Measures that can affect the design and production and distribution phase;
  3. Measures that can affect the consumption phase.

 

Flow chart of different phases of life cycle of a product

 

The Waste Prevention Programme (WPP) for Malta – 2014-2020 establishes a number of priority areas, namely:

  • Heightening the awareness on the need to reduce waste arisings through appropriate behavioural changes which either minimize the amount of purchases that generate waste through smarter shopping practices or through extending the life cycle of goods and to avoid their untimely conversion into waste;
  • Reduction of MSW arisings: organic fraction; recyclables fraction; and promoting re-use and repair initiatives.

The initiatives intended to minimise the amount of waste that is currently being generated involve communication, education and joint initiatives with stakeholders to strengthen of the awareness on the need for sustainable waste management project and practices.

 

Diagram explaining initiatives intended to minimise the amount of waste that is currently being generated