Strategy 2020 – 2030

Research and experience show that the circular economy makes both environmental and business sense. In contrast with the linear economy, the circular economy propagates growth through the reduction of extraction and consumption of resources, energy, water and primary raw materials leading to less waste, while products and resources maintain their value in the economy for as long as possible.

A successful transition to the circular economy will necessitate continuous collaboration between both the Environment and Resource Authority (ERA) and the Resource Recovery and Recycling Agency. ERA is both the Environmental Authority and the Waste Regulator and therefore any circular initiatives would need to satisfy not only the environmental and human health requirements but also meet the end-of-waste criteria.

The circular economy needs more than traditional research and innovation or a piecemeal approach to technologies: it calls for changes in entire systems and joint efforts by researchers, technology centres, industry and SMEs, the primary sector, entrepreneurs, users, governments and civil society. It needs enabling regulatory frameworks, and additional public and private investments. Consequently, investment in research and innovation can be a catalyst in the provision of funds to encourage and entice researchers and entrepreneurs to propose and submit ideas and concepts for further development. Needless to say, that if research and innovation is crucial for any economic sector, it is even more crucial for developing sectors. In light of this, the Agency will endeavour to explore the possibilities of introducing seed capital initiatives that would help support innovative ideas and enable their transformation into viable commercial actions.

Currently the Ministry for Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change is reviewing the Waste Management Plan for the Maltese Islands – A Resource Management Approach 2014-2020 as it prepares for a new plan for the periods 2021- 2030. The review will establish the changes in waste generation over the past 10 years containing the sources of waste generated and the characterisations of the waste streams. The review should be done in line with the proposed revised Waste Framework Directive and need to see the participation of the Agency, National Statistics Office, the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, the Environment and Resources Authority and WasteServ.

The review will provide:
  • An assessment of the past, current and projected rates of recycling, landfilling and other treatment of municipal waste and the streams it is composed of;
  • An assessment of the implementation of waste management plans and waste prevention programmes in place pursuant to articles 28 and 29 of the WFD; and
  • The reasons why it was not possible to attain the relevant target laid down in Article 11(2) within the deadline set therein and an assessment of the time extension necessary to meet that target.