Almost 7,000 tonnes of waste were collected in the past seven months by the Cleansing Services Department.

Although the department is meant to be responsible for arterial roads, it has started to crack down on local councils, giving them a 15-day chance to clean up problem areas but intervening if the waste remains uncollected.

If the department intervenes the bill is sent to the respective local councils.

"Unfortunately, in non-urban areas where there are no votes to be won, the local councils seem uninterested in keeping the place clean," co-ordinator of the department Randolph Spiteri explained.

Mr Spiteri, who guided The Times around Malta to witness clean-ups taking place in problem areas, complained that the public lacks discipline when it comes to littering.

The morning began with a phone call from a woman who reported construction waste strewn over a road next to University.

Mr Spiteri explained that trucks which do not cover their construction waste with canvas tend to cause spillage, which can damage cars or create obstructions.

Later, in St Andrews a number of workmen were sweeping cigarette butts and picking up plastic bottles in the scorching heat.

One of the cleaners explained that this is a routine procedure that has to take place every couple of days since the waste is quickly replaced.

He explained that the problem areas tend to be next to bus stops and traffic lights, and that it is important to have ashtrays available at these points to reduce the littering.

In Floriana, other workmen were using a vacuum cleaner to pick up dirt more efficiently without causing damage to the pavement. There are two vacuum cleaners of this kind which were bought four months ago. A fleet of mechanical sweepers is also available, and more will be bought in the coming year in order to clean up areas with uneven surfaces like Valletta.

The department has 507 workers working in six-hour shifts throughout the day.

"The cleaning is being done; it's the public that needs to start cooperating," Mr Spiteri insisted. He said that an awareness campaign will soon be launched, and he said the slogan should be, "If you litter, you pay" since the cleansing is paid for by taxpayers.

The public can report dumps and dirty areas to the 24-hour freephone 8007 6608 24 or customercare.cleansing@gov.mt.