The social impact of liberalisation of plastic bottles in Malta

Michael Briguglio and Diana Aquilina

International Journal of Green Economics, 2010, vol. 4, issue 3, 275-291

Abstract: This paper analyses the social impact of liberalisation of plastic bottles in Malta, wherein the system of returnable glass bottles has effectively been replaced by a system of disposable plastic bottles. The paper applies concepts such as Ulrich Beck's (1992) 'risk society', and Michael Cahill's (1994) 'consumer society' to the issue under research. A quantitative survey administered in two Maltese localities shows that whilst there is a wide-ranging opposition towards the plastic bottles system, at the same time, most respondents are not ready to make financial contributions for a better environment. Such perceptions are compared with those of European counterparts.

Keywords: plastic bottles; risk society; environmental sociology; consumer society; Malta; social impacts; liberalisation; returnable bottles; glass bottles; disposable bottles; Ulrich Beck; Michael Cahill; quantitative surveys; local opposition; financial contributions; environmental improvements; waste management; sustainability; sustainable development; consumerism; soft drinks; beverages; consumer attitudes; packaging; Attard; Marsascala; bottling plants; refuse collection; recycling; Europe; green economics. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijgrec:v:4:y:2010:i:3:p:275-291

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