Green MT : Green Council Awards

Mellieha Local Council recovered 80 kilos of recyclable waste per capita during the year 2011, thus the highest amount collected from the grey bag collection, bring in sites and commercial establishments.

This was announced during the GREEN COUNCIL AWARDS Ceremony held by Green MT under the patronage of Minister Dr. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici yesterday evening at The Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard. The Local Councils of Ta' Xbiex and Kirkop came second and third in this category with a recovery of 78kg and 71 kg per capita respectively.

The Local Council of TA' XBIEX placed first in the category of recovery of grey bags only, with 51kg per capita, whilst Mgarr placed second with a recovery of 49 kilos per capita, followed closely by Kirkop.

GREEN COUNCIL AWARDS has now become a yearly calendar event both for the Local Councils and also to the Scheme. During yesterdays event, the guests present including mayors, executive secretaries, contractors, and Scheme members, were provided with an overview of logistical operations for 2011. The Scheme announced a recovery of nearly 14,000 tons of recyclable material thus just over 80 % of all material received by the Materials Recovery Facility at Wasteserv in Sant Antnin. Green MT also announced that it has now surpassed 1400 members who last year placed on the market just over 20,000 tons of packaging waste.

A visual presentation of the logistical operation of Green MT was screened and a corporate jingle was launched at the event . The jingle will be used in a number of media events and is earmarked to catch on the younger generation.

Green MT Chairman Vincent Farrugia outlined that Green MT was a not for profit National Packaging Waste Compliance Scheme built with determination and drive by the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU, against all odds, which included lack of proper legislation. Mr Farrugia thanked the producers who support the Scheme daily and continued to auger more members to come on board and thus proving their corporate social responsability in tangible terms.

Mr Farrugia further insisted that Malta had for so many years accepted landfills and was only now truly wakening up to a stark reality, that of the lack of space for further landfills. As thus GRTU was the Constutued Body that took itself to task and with plenty of sacrifice established Green MT to where it stands today.

In his keynote speech, Minister Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici opted to comment instead of reading out his prepared speech to those present. He was extremely satisfied with what he witnessed through the cooperation of so many stakeholders and continued to state that his Ministry is committed to continue to work harder to achieve better results within our ever growing demanding communities. Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici thanked all Local Councils for being a part of this silent revolution. The waste managment strategy at Local Council level had to be implemented and further strenghtened. He insisted on further education and was pleased to note that Green MT is ever present in Schools and Colleges across Malta to further educate our growing younger generation.