Houseproud beyond our doorstep

Could there possibly be anything more embarrassing than publicly being shamed as a right proper litterbug?

Now it can happen to anyone, anywhere, as the littering regulations designed to implement the Litter Act come into force this month. After years of campaigning for a cleaner Malta, the authorities have finally decided that the time has come to hit the undisciplined and the careless where it hurts... in their pockets.

It is plain for all to see that Malta is a dirty country - not a week goes by without people writing to the press to express their disappointment at the ubiquitous untidiness. For us Maltese - ironically so houseproud and so fussy about cleanliness in our homes - a trip abroad always stirs dismay because we are reminded how clean Malta should be. Actually a trip across the channel is enough - Gozo is so much cleaner than Malta. The fact that Malta is a permanent building site doesn't help matters either.

And the business of clearing up the mess adds up too. So far this year the removal of refuse dumped illegally has cost the taxpayer over Lm400,000.

Kevin Gatt, managing consultant at the Management Efficiency Unit within the Prime Minister's Office, says that Malta has had a Litter Act for some time but an enforcement regime has now been designed to implement the legislation.

Last November the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment appointed a committee made up of officials from his ministry, the MEU, the Local Councils Association and MEPA. The proposals, which make a clear distinction between littering and dumping, were endorsed by Cabinet last June.

Any day now, Malta will have its first non-uniformed wardens tasked solely with enforcing the new regulations. For uniformed wardens it will be an added responsibility. Petty littering, like stubbing out a cigarette in the street or throwing an empty crisps packet to the ground, could mean a fine of between Lm25 and Lm50 (up from the previous Lm10 fine). Getting rid of an old mattress or a broken washing machine in the countryside constitutes dumping, and offenders are liable to a fine of between Lm1,000 to Lm2,500 (up from Lm500-Lm1,000).

The fine will double if the offence is committed near sensitive spots like monuments, heritage sites, parks and beaches. Offenders face double the fine if a repeat littering offence is committed within 12 months. A repeat dumping offence carried out within two years also means a doubled fine. Offenders could also foot the bill for refuse collection, cleaning or putting things right.

Wardens on patrol on different daily routes will issue offenders with a ticket through their Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) on the spot, Mr Gatt explains. Offenders will then have to appear before a local tribunal after receiving a citation. Non-uniformed wardens will be fully licensed and will produce identification when apprehending offenders.

Mr Gatt points out that local councils are key players in the enforcement of the regulations. "The Local Councils Association was heavily involved throughout the whole consultation process and councils discussed the regulations at their own meetings. However, the government can still police areas falling under a local council's jurisdiction," he explains.

He points out that local councils will need support for areas like beaches or the countryside. MEPA will enforce the regulations through incognito wardens in these areas. And because dumping offenders are more difficult to catch red-handed, areas prone to dumping will be assigned 24 monitoring and be surveilled through CCTV.

So far 54 councils (including Birzebbuga whose mayor is vehemently against allowing wardens into his locality) have endorsed the regulations, and three joint committees. Nine joint committees group the islands' local councils into regions for such purposes as cost-sharing.

Mr Gatt makes it clear that the littering and dumping fines are not a tax. Revenue generated from the fines will be split between the local councils - the main beneficiaries - MEPA and the Environment Fund. Seventy per cent of moneys collected from tickets issued by wardens contracted by local councils will go to the council and 30 per cent to the Environment Fund.

In the case of dumping fines, the revenue will be split 50-50. Fines originating from wardens contracted by MEPA will be shared between the local council (20 per cent), MEPA (50 per cent) and the Environment Fund (30 per cent). In the case of dumping, the revenue will be split 20-30-50.

The Environment Fund will give payouts periodically. Its board will annually issue calls for proposals from participating local councils who would like funding for small projects in their locality. Evaluation will be based on the nature of the area and the project, number of residents, total value of contributions made, and the involvement of NGOs and one or several local councils.

Mr Gatt added that to discourage littering, councils have undertaken to install an "adequate number" of bins in their localities which will be financed through advertising and will all have standard designs. The Local Councils Association will soon issue a request for proposals for the provision of litter bins from organisations who will be responsible for their manufacture, installation, advertising rights, and maintenance.

But at the end of the day, there really is no excuse for petty littering. Besides, all local councils run a very efficient bulky refuse collection service for free, so it's a wonder why people actually bother to load an old fridge into a van and trudge all the way to the countryside to dump it. And a skip for larger amounts of junk will cost far less to hire than a dumping fine.

To ease everyone into the new anti-littering regime, authorities are to give offenders a ten-week grace period until the regulations come into actual effect in January. The first offence will serve as a warning. However a second offence committed within the grace period means offenders lose their amnesty and are liable to fines.