Towards more effective household waste separation in Malta

Abstract

Notwithstanding the negative impacts brought about by waste generation, as at 2014 only 8% of the total Municipal Solid Waste produced in Malta was recycled and 88% was landfilled (Eurostat, 2016). Effective waste separation at the source of generation is a prerequisite to increase recycling levels and minimise landfilling in accordance with the Waste Framework Directive. Contribution from households plays a major role due to the large volumes of waste generated as well as the number of stakeholders involved. This research focuses on the effective household waste separation of dry recyclables. A se1fadministered questionnaire, undertaken within the pilot locality of Zurrieq (postal) as well as on a National scale (electronic), was utilised to assess recycling behavior, identify knowledge gaps and gauge environmental attitude. A total of 315 and 297 responses were analysed respectively. Furthermore, a field experiment undertaken with 20 households also tested the effectiveness of utilizing a targeted educational approach to improve the quantity as well as quality of dry recyclables separated for recycling. The National survey showed that 27.6% of respondents do not separate household waste, while those who participate scored 66% in recycling knowledge as well as attitude. This is indicative of the lack of awareness, concerning not only which items can be recycled or how such items should be disposed of, but also with regard to the socio-economic and environmental repercussions brought about by the mismanagement of this invaluable resource. The field experiment demonstrated that 6% of the dry recyclables were misplaced into the black mixed-waste bag mainly due to insufficient knowledge or the additional effort required for cleaning soiled recyclables. This targeted educational approach was effective since the quantity of misplaced dry recyclables decreased by 38%, equivalent to a 15% reduction in weight. Therefore education plays an important role in the effective separation of household waste and should be pursued further particularly in view of the voluntary nature of recycling participation.