Local councils in Malta and Gozo have contributed a lot to law and order in our country. Cleanliness is one of their priorities.

I have been told that the budget allocated to it by Mosta local council (presumably even the rest) exceeds by far other needs. If all Mosta residents cooperate, the locality would set an example to others.

The council has issued a timetable to all households, spread over a week, for the sweeping of roads, collection of rubbish and of recycling material. Bulky refuse collection is only a telephone call away while glass is collected on the first Friday of the month. All this is done on a regular basis.

However, as in everything under the sun, there are those who cooperate while there are others who simply don’t care. There is one thing which as far as I know has not yet been tackled, although I have drawn the council’s attention about it. This is the disposal of glass by bar and restaurant owners.

While households keep glass bottles and jars for a whole month until collection day, it seems that bars and restaurants abstain and dispose of their glass stuff in the black garbage bags. Some, unashamedly, put glass bottles and jars in an open cardboard box for collection even not on due day.

I suggest that a circular letter with information about waste collection be distributed to bar and restaurant owners, expecting their full cooperation with a warning of enforcement and fines for those who do not abide by the rules.

Parliamentary Secretary Deo Debattista would, for sure, give a helping hand.