Some aspects of the strategy and management of waste in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate and analyse the social aspects involved in the implementation of the waste management strategy in the Maltese islands. Moreover the study shall provide an overview of the current waste practices and waste management legislation, as well as the social effects particularly the role of awareness and interests from all the stakeholders. Being a small island with high population density, the scale and complexity of the waste management issue in the Maltese islands has various social connotations and requires solutions in kind. In fact in recent years the public awareness about the potential effects of waste management has been on the increase as shall be illustrated in the research analysis. Apart from the existing literature and which shall be discussed in detail in the literature review, the study also includes an in-depth interview with top executive from the WasteServ. Malta Ltd. as well as a quantitative questionnaire distributed amongst a representative sample of local councillors and general public of nine different localities. From the qualitative interview the Information regarding the current waste management practices and the associated social aspects were collected. On the other hand, by means of the questionnaire it was possible to obtain the relevant information related to the environmental and social aspects and how they are perceived or effected. Finally this study shall include recommendation proposals to respond to these social problems based on the information derived from the literature review, and from the primary data gathered through the in-depth interview and questionnaires.