The Sliema council is looking into increasing the frequency of green wardens to curb “rampant abuse” by residents who are taking out their rubbish too early, sometimes even in the evenings.

Councillor Kris Busietta, responsible for the locality’s cleanliness, said animals were tearing into garbage bags left on the pavements in the evening, messing up the roads.

He said that, together with mayor Anthony Chircop, he had recently witnessed first-hand the nonchalance of a resident who even threatened them with her vote. “I was with the mayor touring the streets to see what had to be done at about 8.45 p.m. when we noticed a woman taking out a black garbage bag.

“We pointed out that the next collection time was the following morning and that was when residents should take out their thrash. But the woman became aggressive and said she would not vote for us in the next election. Then, she went back into her house and shut the door,” Dr Busietta said.

A fine for taking the rubbish out too early could vary but the minimum is €116.

He said the council was in the process of writing to all residences to inform them of the garbage collection times in their roads. Dr Busietta said the council was taking the locality’s cleanliness seriously, holding a number of street clean-ups and involving residents in keeping Sliema clean.