Bring-in sites

WasteServ Malta Ltd refers to two letters published in The Times (May 30) under the same title Full At Bring-In Sites, by Edwin P. Borg and Ms Christine Tanti.

Both correspondents indicated areas in which we as WasteServ, could enhance the way we are providing the services related to the collection and maintenance at the 70 bring-in sites around Malta and Gozo.

First of all, I would like to state that these concerns have been noted and the respective action has been taken to try and redress the situation.

WasteServ would also like to point out that the on-going education campaign is in fact proving very effective and successful - to the point that the receptacles at the bring-in sites are simply not enough to cater for the ever-increasing demand. We are now in a situation where we are the victims of our own success - and needless to say we are delighted that more Maltese and Gozitans are choosing to separate their waste at home. Furthermore, we thank them for going through the trouble to deposit their separated waste in the limited number of bring-in sites which are available today, some of which may not be conveniently located in their immediate vicinity.

The current situation is that the bring-in sites are being continuously used thereby creating a problem with the collection services since they are being filled very fast. As an interim solution, we have decided to increase the frequency of the collection service, albeit at an increase in the cost.

The medium-term solution is the one we have already announced, namely that of increasing the number of bring-in sites to around 400, i.e. nearly six times as many as we have in place today. These should start to be placed in a number of localities as from September, and we expect the sites to become cleaner and more accessible since the public will be given a larger number of sites to use for separated waste disposal.

Finally, it may also be very pertinent to note what Ms Tanti said about the misuse of bring-in sites. No matter what action WasteServ takes, it is still a matter of proper civic behaviour by all of us who use these sites, not to create a nuisance and inconvenience to others.