21496965/6 
Green MT, the National Authorised Packaging Waste Compliance Scheme has held its annual Council Awards under the patronage of the Hon. Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change, Leo Brincat and the Hon. Stefan Buontempo, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government.
The Green Council Awards have entered into their fifth year and eleven awards were this year given to Local Councils, Schools, Industry Operators, and individuals who have distingushed themselves in the sector of waste separation and final recycling.
The winners are:
Overall Best Performing Local Council - MELLIEĦA
Most Supportive Local Council – IKLIN
Best Performance for glass collection – SIĠĠIEWI
Local Council Improvement Award – BORMLA
Outstanding Litter Prevention Award – FLORIANA
Community Recycling Initiative – NADUR
Outstanding Business Recycling Award – ALF. MIZZI & SONS (MARKETING) GROUP
Outstanding College Recycling Award – ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE, SIĠĠIEWI PRIMARY
Award for Individual commitment to recycling – JOE CAMILLERI
Addressing the event attended by Local Council Mayors, Executive Secretaries, Service Providers and producer members, Green MT Chairman and GRTU President Mr Paul Abela highlighted the Scheme’s intiaitve to invite its competitor in the field, Greenpak Co-op to the event. He outlined that Schemes should be on the same side in order to face problems with Government on a solid footing. In addittion he urged the need for more enforcement because without this both Schemes would eventually falter, more and more after Government’s haphazard decision to change Eco Contribution to an Excise tax on products like water, beverages, wines and beer other then plastic bags.
Mr Joe Attard, Green MT CEO gave an overview of operations for 2014 and outlined that 6600 tons of recyclables had been collected from Local Councils. Green MT strives to mantain education high in its campaigns but is not acceptable that there are a number of Schools and Colleges who do not permit the Scheme to hold an annual event in relation to waste separation and recycling. He outlined that if the Scheme is precluded from teaching the very young, we cannot aspire to reach our future targets.
Hon. Leo Brincat, Minister for Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change said he “is convinced that Green MT and other waste compliance schemes are major and important stakeholders in the waste sector. He commended the Scheme’s participation in the new organic bag pilot project with the objective of reducing the size of the black bag and make better use of landfill availability. Mr. Brincat added that the Government is aiming to reduce landfill dependence by increasing waste seperation. The Green MT Council Awards were also addressed by Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Hon. Stefan Bountempo.
Click here for a full photo gallery of the event
