Reports circulating in some sections of the media that a new 7 cent “eco-tax” on plastic bottles is to be implemented in the coming days have been labelled as false by the government.
In a statement, Circular Economy Malta labelled the reports as “misinformation.”
“The government is not introducing any new or additional taxes, including an eco-tax on any locally produced or imported beverages, including water. Reports of a new eco-tax are indeed false,” it said.
The claim was first made by social media blogger Gerald Fenech on his Facebook page.
The same entity said that there has also been no change to the 10c refundable deposit on single-use plastic containers through the Bottle Container Refund Scheme (BCRS); this deposit is exempt from VAT and remains fully refundable in accordance with Subsidiary Legislation 549.134.
“This is not increasing. Therefore, any decisions made by private companies are not in any way related to the above,” the entity said.
It added that “at the same time, the government will continue to encourage the general public to make the shift from single-use beverage containers to reusable, refillable containers, as well as more sustainable systems such as Home Reverse Osmosis and Water Filtering Systems through existing fiscal incentives.”
“In support of a circular economy, other initiatives, such as the Bring Your Own Container, were introduced in 2024. This initiative promotes the use of reusable containers and provides consumers with financial incentives.”
