Beautiful scenery marred by rubbish

Sher Balzan

Aug 19th 2012, 15:37

Its carelessness and lack of common sense. It’s a reoccurring issue for many years which has improved but not tremendously. People need to understand littering negatively affects the economy, environment, and tourism in Malta. The government needs to employ people to clean and change the garbage bins daily not weekly or monthly! If you want tourist to continue visiting Malta, you need to put effort to maintain a clean and sanitary environment, proving the best is the only way to ensure that tourists will choose Malta as their vacation destination!!!
The government needs to invest money into maintaining a clean environment and the economy will increase in profits through tourism etc. Also implementing disposal fines! It just does not look good, there are ways to decrease the issue and influence people to not liter!

Vincent Scerri

Aug 18th 2012, 10:56

It's a familiar site all around the island. Shame.

Maria Vassallo

Aug 18th 2012, 08:58

Very easy to control:
Either Plane Clothes Police Officers on prime-evenings OR surveillance cameras AND HEAVY FINES.
Il-maltin ghandhom flus fil-but biex ihallsu!

Mr Tony Gatt

Aug 18th 2012, 08:25

It never ceases to amaze me that while Malta has rubbish collection 6 times a week people still throw away so much stuff.
Here in England it is once a week in most places but you are not wading ankle-deep in rubbish.

Schembri Ray

Aug 18th 2012, 07:25

Where are the wardens?

Paul Fenech

Aug 18th 2012, 01:59

It is true, many are the Maltese that leave their trash wherever they are.

However, one rarely sees a dustman, with some places (such as the ones shown above) not being shown enough attention (if they are given any any time).

Mr James Galea

Aug 17th 2012, 23:09

last sunday I cleared 2 bags of rubbish from st peter's pool. I only had to collect them and throw them in a bin only 10 mtrs away.

laird scott

Aug 17th 2012, 21:34

I've noticed this everywhere on the island...trash, trash, trash...in the streets, country roads, msida marina, msida swimming rocks, parks, empty lots, parking lots, distressed buildings, everywhere...disgusting dirty place.

Wilfred Camilleri

Aug 17th 2012, 21:00

Why doesn’t Malta implement an "Adopt a Road" program like many communities in North American have done for years? Businesses, clubs, and other organizations take over an area or street and keep it clean by regular trash collections and they get recognized for their civic contributions by a sign saying "Adopt a Road. Rotary Club" for example. These programs have been highly successful in North America. Of course this does not replace enforcement and education.

Charles Zammit

Aug 17th 2012, 20:57

The Maltese take offence being told they are dirty and are supposedly a clean Nation LOL !!

Noel Tonna

Aug 17th 2012, 20:34

In my opinion I can describe people who do this sort of thing as being Egoists. Apart from this ignorance! Yes we have quite a few people who can easily fit in these two categories. We hear about squatters, campers, people fighting is streets, rubbish everywhere, road rage and the list is endless. What a shame that the police and wardens do not enforce the Law as it is needed. Then perhaps and only maybe these people start to think in a different way. Don't know if the phrase It's never too late applies to us in Malta though!

Charles Downing

Aug 17th 2012, 20:33

Every country has its litter problems, not just Malta. A mixture of education and enforcement can change habits quite quickly. In Malta, taking our litter home from places where there are no bins should be easy. The regular rubbish collection service from people's homes in Malta is so much better than in other countries - despite the complaints some people make. So - message number 1: Enjoy Malta's beautiful countryside. Keep it that way. Protect it. Take your rubbish home!

David Hill

Aug 17th 2012, 20:02

I just love the person who drices to a carpark then cleans out his/her car, emptys the ashtrays and dumps it all on the ground by the car.
Then drives off happy because they have a clean car.

B Attard

Aug 17th 2012, 19:40

Take a look at the road leading to Hassan Caves and you can see the same shame.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 17th 2012, 19:22

Fascinating: so many complaints ... yet nobody has, as yet, made the suggestion to organise an hour, even an hour, of cleaning-up as communities.
We want the authorities to do the job for us - we praise the soldiers for cleaning up the mess that we and our children leave behind!
A nation choc-full of 'oqbra mbajda', lazybones, that's what we are.

Mary Fisher

Aug 17th 2012, 19:17

WHAT A SHAME! IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHEN WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ALL EDUCATED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THESE THINGS! WHY, OH WHY?

paul camilleri

Aug 17th 2012, 18:41

@ John Scerri
maybe so, but our interests concern our country first then the rest of the world

A Camilleri

Aug 17th 2012, 18:33

the maltese are ok as long as their house is clean, anywhere else is ok to mess it up.

Eric Cartman

Aug 17th 2012, 18:08

it is amazing how every place you go, no matter how far out into the countryside, you will find people's rubbish!!! :(

stephen koludrovic

Aug 17th 2012, 17:58

Lets for once be honest with ourselves in general,WE ARE A VERY DIRTY RACE.and because of our laziness, we need a triple amount of bins that other normal people would possibly need.

Doreen Gatt

Aug 17th 2012, 17:54

I agree with the comments below.

We Maltese have a lack of discipline when it comes to cleaning and disposing of our rubbish! However one must also look at the total mess the english learning students are leaving behind. I invite anyone of you to come take a stroll behind the Coastline Hotel. Beer cans, vodka bottles, alcohol bottles etc all strewn around and this is also evident after the weekend on the beach in front of the hotel!!

Peter Murray

Aug 17th 2012, 17:54

it is not just these scenic sites in which social irresponsibility is prevalent -just look at any populated locality-especially tourist areas -to see such reckless abandonment of trash at the wrong times and in the wrong places

Chris Borg

Aug 17th 2012, 17:17

As a Maltese Canadian, I was astonished as to how dirty this island is. I was born and raised in Canada, but I visit the island in the summer months because I love it here. I was disheartened when I was on a boat party and everyone on the boat was throwing their cigarettes, glass bottles and plastic cups into the water. I wanted to smack every person on the boat. I'm not sure what laws are in place in Malta, but in Canada you are fined for littering. Police should be actively enforcing this law (if it exists) and fining people appropriately.

joseph saliba

Aug 17th 2012, 17:17

If someone's big problem is lack of camping sites then he's got no problems. One problem is with a number of citizens (are they to be called so?), they are rubbish maniacs. Living near a business outlet, quite a number park by. I often notice parked cars being cleaned outside my house. Plastic bottles and snack containers are thrown unto the road by passing drivers. And this to mention just two.
What about chewing gum and cigarette butts? 'bhal pesta'.

Paul Evans

Aug 17th 2012, 17:06

We recently holidayed to Malta for the first time after seeing an advert promising us that Malta was 'Truly Mediterranean'. We too were shocked by the cleanliness or lack of it on the island. Our hotel on Sliema's Strand was nice enough but every day we had to walk past overflowing bins full of stinking rubbish, litter everywhere, dog mess and dirty pavements. We would always see people eating street food from the many vendors and watch the bag or wrapper just get discarded onto the ground, even if a litter bin was close by. Littering seems to be in the Maltese DNA!

Emanuel Curmi

Aug 17th 2012, 16:40

Please do not demonize campers after the incidents at Marsaxlokk. We have a major problem of chronic littering and dumping of rubbish all over Malta especially around the scenic areas but one cannot just associate campers with the mounds of rubbish and overlook that the magnitude of the problem is a compilation of bad attitude, no law enforcement & a general political apathy to do something about it. Talk about environment wardens have been going on for years but and yet nothing has come out of it.

Timothy R. Chilvers

Aug 17th 2012, 16:37

When I mentioned this disgusting state of affairs in connection with access to a heritage site via private property, I excited the scorn of a good doctor. If he is (was) a medical doctor, he might also consider the health risks such behaviour entails. Rats, my good doctor, flies, my good doctor, pests of all sorts... Now he could have a look at Senglea waterfront, where louts pollute with food containers, noise pollution, and general dirt. Perhaps he should give access to the rats?

stephen koludrovic

Aug 17th 2012, 16:29

The only way any of this rubbish could ever be cleaned, is if the obligatory community service for first offenders is started,

Joanne Micallef

Aug 17th 2012, 16:26

I walk in the Madliena/Gharghur valley, the whole area is filthy plus I do hope the Gharghur local council cleans up the gutters as they are all full of dead leaves and rubbish.

Robert Mifsud

Aug 17th 2012, 16:12

It is a shame that people are not responsible, but I also think that more dustbins should be placed to encourage people not to leave anything behind

BigJulieRawbottom Rawbottom

Aug 17th 2012, 16:11

Its absolutely disgusting and we've only been here 9 days and we have actually seen the Maltese discarding their pizza boxes and other rubbish including plastic bottles behind them, specially here in Gozo where we are staying for the duration, we always thought that the locals are a clean lot, but now we know different, i even said to some young chaps to put their rubbish in the bins provided on the beach, and they replied with a nasty answer which i don't think your news media will print. Not nice at all.

R ferriggi

Aug 17th 2012, 16:09

THE AUTHORITIES ARE FAST ASLEEP.

ONE MAY ASK: WHAT AND HOW ARE THE AUTHORITIES TO BLAME FOR THE POPULATION'S IRRESPONSIBILITY??

YES THE AUTHORITIES ARE TO BLAME BECAUSE:

1. THE PRESENCE OF POLICE AND WARDENS IS NON EXISTENT EXCEPT WHERE THERE IS TO MAKE A DOLLAR.
2. THE LAW COURTS ARE ISSUING JOKE FINES WHEN PEOPLE ARE CAUGHT.
3. THE ONLY WAY THE MALTESE LEARN IS BY ONE METHOD : HEAVY FINES TO DETER.

I REPEAT - HEAVY PATROLLING AND HEAVY FINES IS THE ANSWER. A SECTION OF THE POPULATION ARE DOING THIS MESS ON PURPOSE.

GL Calleja

Aug 17th 2012, 15:49

Although many campers clean up after themselves there are many of those campers that do not. A good example are those that were camping at Marsaxlokk and that is only one place. It is about time that the local authorities take charge, but they need the help of the government to enforce these such rules. Take a look at l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha where campers leave all kinds of debris behind, not to mention the samples of human feces left behind under many trees. Some people just don't care. Maybe we need Park Wardens to go around to make sure these offensive acts do not happen. Also I suggest a trip to Little Armier and check out those illegal boathouses and parked caravans parked illegally all Summer. Wake up MEPA.

paul camilleri

Aug 17th 2012, 15:45

rubbish rubbish everywhere why do the maltese care?
maybe a rat here and there could give us a scare.
but for sure the people dont care!!

this is a quick poem i made up, and it sums up what sort of people live amongst us, but it is not just some people only it also happens to be local counsils who dont give a toss in reality about keeping an area clean. take the recent removal of campers in Masaxlokk i wonder if they were made to clear up all their mess i:e knatan which were used to tie down makeshift tents, ashes from BBQs and other rubbish that these sort of vagabonds leave behind.

i also like to thank the local council of Zebbug Malta for completly forgeting the area of tal Grazija where we were promised new roads and a new play area , but unfortunatly the playing area ( bandli) is full of dead leaves rubbish and what one might call a rockery or should i say mockery!!! oh and we do have locals that frrequent this area mainly RATS!!!!