A rubbish crisis: ‘Tourists take pictures of Sliema’s blue sea with torn garbage bags near their feet’

Social media platforms have become a canvas of strewn garbage bags, unwelcome rat visitors, and a general air of filth as rubbish woes cast a shadow on several communities. 

The problem appears to be worse in the heavily populated localities in the northern harbour area that are also tourist hotspots. From Gzira to Sliema; St Julian’s to Swieqi, mayors and residents have been venting their frustration over the growing problem. 

In a bid to understand the root of the problem, the daily reality of these localities and the possible solution to the issue, MaltaToday spoke to residents, mayors and MPs on the rubbish crisis facing their localities. 

The complaints are not new, but the situation seems to have taken a turn to the worse.  

Photos and videos which have made the rounds on social media show heaps of rubbish, torn black bags and rats scurrying around the streets. 

Speaking to this newspaper, Italian national Francesco Casartelli, who lives in Gżira and works in Sliema, said the issue has become a daily occurrence.  

“I walk it to work and back almost every day, and you always see piles and piles of rubbish, no matter the time of day,” he said.  

Casartelli said the Sliema promenade has become a scene of contrasts.  

“You see tourists walking around in their bathing suits, taking pictures of the beautiful sea, and next to their feet is an open garbage bag,” he said. “It’s a waste of so much potential.”

But what is the root of the problem?   

Nearly all mayors believe the problems grew when short lets became more and more popular in the affected areas.  

“80% of problems come from short-let apartments,” Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat said.  

Muscat said the issue had already been flagged to then tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis back in February 2016. Nothing was done then, and the problem has continued to grow, the Swieqi mayor added. 

“The majority of tourists, especially younger ones, are opting to rent accommodation through apps like Airbnb and booking.com, and normally check-out is at around 10am. You have cleaners who come in, clean the place and must dispose of the garbage bags, as a new group would be coming in at 3pm,” he said. “Nearly no apartment has a garbage room, and so what happens? They leave the garbage bags in the streets for who knows how many days.” 

The presence of short-let apartments is the primary cause of waste bags being put out on the wrong day or time, leading to mounds of waste bags accumulating on pavements

St Julian’s mayor Guido Dalli agreed with Muscat’s analysis of the problem, stating the problems seem to be worse in tourist accommodation hotspots.  

“If you go around the areas where there are no tourist accommodations, you do not find rubbish,” Dalli said.  

But Gżira mayor Conrad Borg Manche feels apartment owners also have the responsibility of informing tenants of the rules surrounding the proper disposal of rubbish.  

“Last month, I went on holiday, and the first thing the owner told us was that we had to put the rubbish out according to the schedule, or else we would be fined,” Borg Manche said. “How many people do this in Malta?” 

He said there is no sense of civic pride and connection to the locality in certain areas of the country. “You can see the difference between localities like Mqabba and Gżira.” 

“A lot of these short-let apartment owners don’t care; all they think about is squeezing every last cent out of the property,” Borg Manche said.  

Sliema mayor John Pillow also agreed that many apartment owners lack a sense of responsibility. 

“I sometimes enter apartments during house visits, and I see the old pickup schedule stuck to the noticeboard. Why are we allowing this?” he said.

Has the new pickup schedule worsened the situation? 

Last January, the Environment Ministry announced a new domestic waste collection schedule.  

While black bags used to be collected three times weekly, they are now being collected twice weekly. Plastic waste collection is also being carried out once a week, rather than twice a week. 

An unsavoury impact of the waste crisis in the Gzira-Sliema-St Julian's area has been the presence of rats feasting on the rubbish

Some believe the new schedule is to blame for the increase in waste, while other said no matter the number of collections, “ignorant people will remain ignorant.” 

The St Julian’s mayor said the problem has been growing for ages, and the schedule has nothing to do with it. “I have been saying the same thing for ages, but no one seems to care,” Guido Dalli said.  

Noel Muscat expressed a similar sentiment, saying people who don’t care for the rules, will continue doing so, no matter which system is implemented.  

“I don’t want extra collection rounds, I want people to be responsible and abide by the law,” Muscat said.  

But others feel that a national waste collection system does not make sense, as different localities have different needs.  

“While a uniform national system made sense to increase recycling; the same system which works for a village with a population of 500 people doesn’t work for densely populated areas like Sliema, St Julian’s, Swieqi, San Ġwann, Gżira, Bugibba and St Paul’s Bay,” Nationalist MP Eve Borg Bonello said. “In densely populated areas (which have been pointed out by the NSO, and also happen to be the areas suffering this issue) the system isn’t keeping up; these localities need a more regular collection especial in summer peaks of tourism.” 

Some blame the new waste collection schedule introduced in January 2023 for part of the crisis but the government contends otherwise

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola, who lives in Sweiqi, labelled the January reform “a flop”.  

“We increased the country’s population, with more than 300,000 tourists visiting the country during the summer months, and we reduced the number of times waste is collected; how does that make any sense?” Cassola said. 

Sliema mayor John Pillow slammed the people who drew up the new schedule saying they have no knowledge of the localities’ needs.  

“People who have no idea how the locality works and what its needs are drew up the system, while we had no kind of involvement in the process,” he said.  

Other mayors also lamented their lack of involvement in the reform. 

“I am very frustrated. The authorities don’t seem to listen, while the problems continue to pile up,” Noel Muscat said.

The way forward  

Questioned on what they think is the solution to the problems, all mayors said they want more active involvement by their respective councils. 

“Councils have been completely cut out of the system. If I must speak to the contractors for extra collections, I first have to speak with the regional council, which then makes contact with the collectors. It is such a long-drawn process,” St Julian’s mayor Guido Dalli said.  

Some also suggested councils be provided with a data base of the block administrators for easier communication if problems arise. 

“If someone flags any illegalities, be it rubbish or anything else, and they know which apartment its coming from, we have no way of contacting the owner. I insist that councils should have an active role in all of this because as things stand, we are completely in the dark,” Gzira mayor Conrad Borg Manche said. 

On whether fines should increase, not everyone agrees this is the way forward. The Gżira mayor for example said fines for littering should be increased drastically, but others like Cassola insist the system should first be fixed before authorities start issuing fines.  

Nearly everyone this newspaper spoke agreed the affected localities need a specialised schedule. 

“With all due respect, the waste generated by a locality like Safi and a locality like Sliema are a totally different ballgame, and the schedule needs to reflect that,” Pillow said. 

Eve Borg Bonello said a one size fits all approach is not the way forward. 

“If someone lives alone and is working 14 hours a day to keep up with rising rent prices and is not at home one hour before collection time, they are left without any option other than leaving it out too early or too late, and consequently the garbage remains in the street for two-three days. Hence these areas with a high population density, which incidentally are touristic areas, need a more frequent collection. Experts agree that this is the way forward,” she said.  

Others like Dalli said authorities need to step up their enforcement and start playing an active role. 

“Authorities should not put incompetent people in charge of such important entities. We need competent people who take decisions without any fear,” he said. “We need to start holding people responsible, or else the issue will only get worse.” 

In a joint reply to questions made by this newspaper, the Culture Ministry, which is also responsible for local councils, and the Environment Ministry, responsible for waste management, said there is broad agreement amongst the stakeholders that Malta should not go back to the previous waste collection system, because waste separation is a very important objective for the country’s sustainability. 

“It was also agreed the new system and national waste schedule performed well in many localities throughout the six regions and many households and businesses adapted seamlessly,” the ministries said. “However, particular localities are facing increased waste bags that are taken out on the wrong day or at the wrong time, causing challenges in the cleanliness and upkeep of these areas. A common point raised by representatives of these localities is the presence of many short-let properties in these areas, with tenants who may not be aware of the waste schedule, and hence the need to support this sector to ensure compliance.” 

They said the government is also seeking to consolidate the efforts of the different enforcement agencies so that intensified action is taken to stop defaulters, who are causing issues being faced by certain localities. 

“The Malta Police Force, Lesa and ERA are also committed to continue enforcing littering and illegal dumping regulations. The 3,600 fines and warnings issued for waste-related offences in the first seven months of the year are testament to this commitment,” they said. “Waste management also is a collective responsibility and a duty of everyone, and the government will continue working in this direction.” 

Meanwhile, with no solutions in sight, residents and visitors in the impacted areas will have to contend with torn garbage bags strewn on the pavements and rats in plain sight feasting on the waste.

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