A recent clean-up of Il-Magħluq in Marsascala resulted in the collection of over half a tonne of waste from the water surface and surrounding areas. The clean-up was coordinated by Nature Trust (Malta) and involved the participation of Marsascala local council, Friends of Marsascala, HSBC staff and That’s Rubbish.
Il-Magħluq, a scheduled Special Area of Conservation that forms part of Malta’s Natura 2000 network, is one of two salt marshes, the other being Il-Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk. It is home to a unique community of saltmarsh species, including the rare sea sharp-rush (Simar tal-baħar, Juncus maritimus) and the Maltese killifish (Bużaqq, Aphanius fasciatus).
Most of the waste recovered in the clean-up consisted of items deliberately dumped into the site. Ozo System Cleaning Services provided the bags and gloves for the clean- up, while the Animal Welfare Department rescued an injured duck found by one of the participants during the clean-up.