Litter Act enforcement

On november 23 at around 10 a.m. I discarded a cardboard box in a skip in Merchants Street, corner with Archbishop Street in Valletta. The skip, which did not have a lid, was almost full to the top with black garbage bags and I put the box on top of them.

As I turned round a young lady approached me saying she was a green warden (she did not show me any identification) and told me I had breached the Litter Act. I was astounded but gave her my particulars and ID card number.

She said I was to take back the box and that I should use the skip after 1 p.m. Skips are there to be used and there was no notice stating when it should be used or to what level it was to be filled.

But the best part is that she did not specify that I had put the cardboard box inside the skip in her primi noti so the warning states that I deposited rubbish in a public place or near a skip. Now I'll be on probation for a year and it's simply disgraceful.

To enforce regulations, the authorities should put up notices stating the rules before giving out warnings on the use of skips, and common sense should prevail.