GRTU meets Minister Leo Brincat

GRTU Malta Chamber of Small and Medium enterprises, yesterday welcomed Hon Leo Brincat, Minister for Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change. The Minister was accompanied by his Chief of Staff Louis Borg.

GRTU President Paul Abela welcomed the Minister and augured that relations between his Ministry and the GRTU from a number of different aspects should grow from day to day in a spirit of goodwill. Mr Abela thanked the Minister for taking interest in the many sectors that GRTU was involved with but mainly, waste management, renewable energy issues and also climate change issues, this in relation to his Ministry.

From his side the Minister thanked the GRTU for the invitation and outlined that the meeting was held now because some issues to be discussed needed various commissioned reports to be finished, mainly in relation to Wasteserv.

The Minister informed GRTU that he wanted to ascertain one and all that with respect to the family park at Marsa scala, decisions were taken based on technical reports, no more no less. He further informed GRTU that the Marsascala Park would reopen in a matter of days.

The meeting touched on various subjects, amongst which the following:

– The Family Park

– WasteServ, its operations and the eventual inclusion of private industry in some of its operations.

– The segregation process currently under way

– Planning and the Environment

– The logistics of waste collection from Local Councils and the operations of Waste Carriers within the same frame. Review of current tender documentation.

– The introduction of  a system where the commercial community shouldered responsability for its waste generation

– The future of Eco Contribution and Legal Notice 84 of 2010.

– The future of WEEE, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

The Minister also outlined that he would like GRTU to provide briefs in relation to Wasteserv operations and how changes can be effected to improve its operations, and also other briefs in relation to Eco Contribution and the segregation of MEPA and planning.

The Minister further outlined that in a few weeks time the Ministry would be issuing a Waste Management plan for the years 2013 to 2020. He outlined that GRTU would be welcome to provide comments and feedback during the consultation period and also meet so that a holistic solution is found in respect to Waste  Management.

Mr Joe Attard, Green Mt CEO emphasized the fact that currently there are still a lot of producers who evade paying up for their packaging Waste obligations and that enforcement from MEPA’s end leaves much to be desired. In addition draft regulations relating to consumer packaging placed on the market, have as yet not been implemented to the detriment of Schemes.

Joe Attard also outlined to the Minister that in relation to WEEE, the country had to be very careful of the way it is implemented. Of course an exemption from Eco tax was required from Day 1, but even this alone would not suffice to get the ball rolling. This is due to the fact that parameters of targets at EU levels have now been changed and as thus the onus of recovery and final recycling is much greater then the amount anticipated

Mr Leo Brincat outlined that Government is committed towards better recycling results, and also wants the waste management sector to operate in the most transparent way ever. He thanked GRTU for the meeting and looked forward to further structured meetings with his Ministry.

Present for the meeting were also Marcella Aguis from Green Mt and Mr Steve Farrugia, representing the Waste Carriers, members of GRTU.