The project, which cost around € 8.2 million, seeks to encourage the separation of household waste at source with the aim of increasing the recycling rates and divert waste away from landfill.

This project consisted of four (4) main actions, namely, a nationwide campaign targeting organic waste separation in households; the introduction of waste separation in the public sector; awareness raising on hazardous waste separation with a focus on expired medicine; and the promotion of waste separation at source through specialised waste collection trucks.

As part of this project, recycling bins for the different waste streams, including organic waste were distributed to every household to encourage the public to separate their waste. This was complemented by an educational campaign which included TV and radio adverts, print media advertising, and door-to-door promotion that sought to inform the public about proper waste separation.

A different set of recycling bins was also distributed to Ministries and Government Entities in order to facilitate the collection of recyclable waste. This was accompanied by a targeted information campaign, including mailshots to all public sector employees.

To encourage the proper disposal of expired and unwanted medicines, all licensed pharmacies were provided with specialised disposing bins. Collection vans were procured to facilitate the collection of expired medicines from the different pharmacies across Malta and Gozo. This allowed the public to dispose of their medicines in a safe and convenient way. Training was given to all pharmacies personnel and the public was informed about this new service through a promotional campaign and through the various posters and leaflets that were placed in all participating pharmacies.

Through this project, a new Roadshow Truck service was also launched. Specialised waste collection trucks were procured so that they could visit all localities across Malta and Gozo and make it easy for the public to dispose of certain items that would otherwise require them to go to a Civic Amenity Site.

This EU-funded project was a catalyst for change in the waste management sector by greatly improving waste separation at source, thereby shifting to sustainable waste management practices, decreasing the amount of recyclable and organic waste from ending up in the black bag and ultimately, diverting waste from landfills. This cultural shift has also had a positive impact on the country’s efforts to move towards a circular economy approach.