The truth about the public cleaning operators sector

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs represents, without any doubt, waste carrier operators in Malta. All its waste carrier members were this week asked to confirm their membership with GRTU and they all did, without exception. No other association can compare in representation. Counting the founders as the only members of an association is not much of a representation of the sector. GRTU represents all groups of operators in the waste sector, groups which the GRTU has successfully organised after a number of years. The parties who have proclaimed themselves to represent the sector have caused faults to the same sector and till today face charges for failure to pay dues to the Department of Social benefits.

GRTU has worked hard to build a solid legislative infrastructure with WasteServ, the Association of Local Government, the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs and MEPA. Together with these institutions GRTU is reforming the sector. The reform will bring with it serious consequences for those operators who don't feel the need to abide by the laws that seek to bring order and prosperity to the sector. The rebellion that some are seeking to create comes from those same people who never wanted to abide by the law and the standards required for the services they provide.

Since GRTU started its work on the sector a number of important milestones have been achieves:

Lm 100,000 given directly to the sector from Government  to make up for the costs of maintenance of the vehicles

Introducing the collection of separated waste from private and public entities from all the localities. This is resulting in the operators receiving additional revenue exceeding €1.2 million

Introducing the collection of separated waste from private entities and schools, with the operators being paid directly form authorized waste management schemes

The establishment of Green MT, the authorised scheme and subsidiary of GRTU, generating continuous work to the operators who believe in the management of waste

Exemption from a substantial part of the registration tax on RCVs and skip loaders, if these are equipped with scales to measure the materials

Waste has been classified and waste carriers have been given appropriate licences, without which they cannot enter waste disposal facilities.

GRTU believes in the sustainability of the operation carried out by the operators themselves however remains disappointed to note some still feel the need to offer prices that are not sustainable and after come to the GRTU to resolve the consequences. The GRTU believes also in the solidarity of the members who's support it finds even in the rainy days. The reform will be completed step by step in full cooperation with our members in the sector. GRTU is and will continue representing waste carrier operators.