Malta’s solid waste generation ups 41.9% in 2017

Solid waste generated in Malta in 2017 exceeded 2.8 million tonnes, an increase of 41.9% as compared to the preceding year, according to a news release issued by the Maltese National Statistics Office (NSO).

Non-hazardous waste increased year-on-year 50.2% (933,169 tonnes) chiefly boosted by the generation of mineral waste from construction and demolition as well as dredging spoils, the NSO reported citing administrative data provided by WasteServ Malta Ltd and the Environment and Resources Authority. On the contrary, hazardous waste dropped by year-on-year 73.6% (98,757 tonnes) due to a drop in the generated amounts of discarded vehicles (vehicles and sea vessels).

Waste treatment recorded year-on-year growth of 49.2% (827,965 tonnes), as a result of higher amounts of waste that was pre-treated (419,847 tonnes) and backfilled (396,258
tonnes), the NSO says. However, recycling dropped by year-on-year 15.3% (43,124 tonnes) as recycling of construction, demolition and excavation waste saw a reduction.

“During 2017, the separate collection of waste fractions from all civic amenity sites decreased by 14.9% (4,470 tonnes) essentially due to a new procedure that was implemented to ensure that only waste generated by households is received in these facilities,” the NSO press statement says. The recyclable waste material collection grew by 21.2% from households’ green/grey bag and glass collection and by 7.0% through the bring-in sites. “Waste from the separate collection of organic waste also increased by 892 tonnes (41.3 per cent) due to the inclusion of Gozo region in the pilot project for the collection of this type of waste back in September 2016,” the press statement adds.

The full report including charts and visual representation of data is available for download at the website of NSO.