Recycling showdown in Gozo as councils refuse to pay for waste collection
More than half of Gozo could soon end up without the collection of recyclable waste, as councils are refusing to accept a request by the service provider to start paying for the door-to-door collection.
The local councils are also refusing to pay an extra premium for the service provider to empty and clean the bring-in sites in their localities.
Green MT, a subsidiary of the Chamber of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (GRTU), has informed seven councils in Gozo and one council in Malta that they would need to start paying for the service as from September 1.
The letter was sent to Munxar, Żebbuġ, Għasri, Għarb, San Lawrenz, Fontana and Kerċem in Gozo and Senglea in Malta. Another two localities in Gozo where Green MT operates – Victoria and Għajnsielem – are not affected by the new regime.
They are the same local councils which Green MT informed in January it would be stopping the “unsustainable operation”.
After this, the Environment Resources Authority ordered Green MT to continue providing the service to these councils, but the provider appealed. It is currently pending before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT). A hearing was meant to be held last month,...