The Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs is to coordinate a 3-day clean-up campaign to raise awareness for a better environment. The event will be part of the international `Clean Up the World` campaign.

Rescources Minister George Pullicino said members of the public, government departments, local councils, schools, NGOs and several private companies would take part.

The campaign is to be held between tomorrow and Saturday. Tomorrow is earmarked for schools, Friday for companies and Saturday for the public.

The campaign will be focused on L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha, Mellieha and Ghajn Tuffieha beaches, Bahar ic-Caghaq, Gnien il-Kottoner Cospicua, the Bugibba/Qawra rocky promenade and the Mdina and Valletta bastions. The ministry will be providing cleaning tools at all the sites for those taking part in this campaign.

There will also be seabed clean-ups at Wied iz-Zurrieq, St Julians and Hondoq ir-Rummien in Gozo.

Mr Pullicino said these three days would also be serving to launch a wider campaign to keep the environment clean.

He said that between January and August this year, 9000 tons of waste were collected by the ministry’s employees from arterial roads, 5000 tons of which was bulky refuse.

Mr Pullicino in a press conference explained that over the next two days, Works Division employees not normally engaged in cleaning services would be deployed to the campaign, so that the number of government employees taking part would be some 2,400.

He said the government was also preparing legislative amendments to deter the posting of posters on walls and trees. Instead, the government would be providing large billboards on which such posters may be displayed.

Those wishing to take part in the campaign are being asked to e-mail customercare.cleansing@gov.mt. , use freephone 80076608 or telephone on 22952233/22952333.