I am pleased to see Sliema council making an effort to tackle the rubbish and cleanliness problems.

It is faced with a difficult situation brought about by residents. Domestic waste is brought out at any time of day or night, even on Sundays and public holidays, like Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, or after the refuse has been collected.

Litter bins have been installed, for litter obviously, yet you get people putting their domestic refuse bag in them.

When bags do not fit in a bin, people leave them all around and the place looks like one big rubbish dump. What a sight!

People also think their domestic waste is theirs until they get to their front door; they then think they have a right to place it anywhere, as long as it is not near their front door.

The council intends to change the refuse collection time to 7 p.m. for a trial period. Please don’t. It will result in domestic refuse bags being left out all day.

If there is going to be a trial period, this should be at 8 a.m., as the system was in the past, before the local councils’ time.

Besides the usual abuse, there are residents who are not at home during the day.

Residents should be informed that any domestic waste brought out at the wrong times will mean a stiff fine, which is already in place but certainly needs putting into practice.