Malta’s BCRS initiative recycles over 20 million aluminium cans and bottles in two months

Since the launch of the Beverage Container Refund Scheme (BCRS) in Malta, more than 20 million aluminium cans and bottles have been returned, enabling the firm in charge of the programme to meet the goal it set for the first two years of operations, said BCRS Malta Ltd chairperson Pierre Fava.

Around 600 tonnes of containers have been sent for recycling in Bales, each weighing about 250 to 270 per kg. As per Fava,  the firm was "extremely encouraged" by the response from the general public, which helped it achieve the goal it had initially set for its first two years: the collection of 70 per cent of all containers sold.

"We're told by entities responsible for cleansing that they are finding fewer bottles in the streets and the countryside... which is very positive. The fact that we've already reached the target originally planned for the first two years of operations shows how successful the scheme is," said Pierre Fava.

Customers who participated in the programme paid 10 cents extra for the beverages they had purchased and received coupons in exchange for returning their beverage containers for recycling. Some of Malta's top beverage distributors are members of the consortium known as BCRS Malta.

In Malta and Gozo, some 320 reverse vending machines are operating to collect single-use drink containers. Any beverage container registered with the BCRS is accepted by the machines. The barcode provides the device details about the container's size, weight, and composition.

The device will not handle the incorrect container, and an error notice will appear on the screen. Fava stated that in response to concerns from the public about, for example, the trash left around the machines, the business installed a skip nearby where individuals could discard any containers the machines rejected and did not want to take home.

While the aluminium cans are shipped to Germany, the glass is sold to Italy. Since the firm obtains confirmation that the material it is exporting is indeed recycled, the items can be tracked from the moment they are put on the market until they are returned and sent for recycling.