Updated 7.30pm with collection times

As a new national waste collection schedule came into force on Monday, it seems clear it will take some time for people to get used to the changes. 

Despite Monday now being reserved for collection of white bags (organic waste), countless black bags (mixed waste) were seen sprawled across the streets of Malta, left uncollected. 

The new waste collection schedule

Previously, waste collectors gathered both organic and mixed waste bags on Mondays. 

As of January 2, only one type of waste will be collected per day. Black bags of mixed waste will now be collected twice instead of three times a week. Green or grey bags full of recycling waste will be collected once a week, on Thursdays, instead of twice a week. 

There will be no change to the schedule of organic waste collection, which will continue to take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Glass will now be collected twice a month, instead of just once.

In most localities, waste collection times remain unchanged. However, there have been modifications for some towns and villages. A PDF with each locality's collection time is available online.

Mayor notes 'teething problems' 

“Such teething problems are expected, and what we are experiencing is normal across the world,” St Paul’s Bay mayor Alfred Grima told Times of Malta. 

"It takes time to get used to the change."

He said he noticed a number of black bags left in various streets all across the island. 

Those who did not care about the old schedule would "continue to do as they please", he predicted, but most residents would get used to the changes and adapt over time. 

Grima believes the timing of the changes was not ideal: starting a new collection schedule on the second day of the year was a mistake, he said. 

"It does not matter how many adverts or flyers there were on the new schedule, people were celebrating the festive season and not taking note about these changes whatsoever," he said. 

"Another thing is that I believe it is incorrect to follow a 'one size fits all' mentality. What is good for one locality, might not work for another, but we must wait and see with this new schedule."

Another locality which saw plenty of black bags left on its streets was Gżira.

Mayor Conrad Borg Manche said that while a number of flyers were handed out on the new schedule, it will take some time for people to get used to it. 

"We understand that not everyone was aware of this change, right after Christmas time," he said. 

St Julian's mayor Guido Dalli was positive that residents will get used to the new schedule in the weeks to come. 

"Walking through the streets this morning I did come across a number of black bags," Dalli said. "But some people are still receiving flyers, and those who do not follow any updates from the local council would have no idea about these changes.

"Hopefully in a week or two people will get used to the new normal schedule."

Malta's national waste collection schedule: 

Monday: Organic (white bag)

Tuesday: Mixed (black bag)

Wednesday: Organic 

Thursday: Recyclable (green/grey bag)

Friday: Organic

Saturday: Mixed

Glass will be collected every first and third Friday of the month.

More information on 2090 8600 or here.