Inadequate enforcement and a surge in population have been blamed for the ongoing issue of black bin bags seen strewn about the streets of Gżira.
Residents of the area have spoken out at their disgust over the amount of household rubbish being left out on the streets outside of collection days.
They say the waste is attracting pests and bad odours and are calling on authorities to put a stop to the problem.
Gżira mayor Conrad Borg Manché has attributed the problem to a lack of enforcement and the locality’s growing population, which rose sharply in 10 years to over 10,000 in 2021.
“The stench and the flies are revolting and now there are rats too,” said one resident who asked not to be named.
“Whenever we beg the mayor to do something about it, he says that it all boils down to ERA and LESA so, as usual, the buck is passed between these two government entities, and nothing happens.
“It’s really disgusting,” he said, adding some people were even rummaging through the bags to find bottles to take to BCRS machines and leaving them open afterwards.
The rubbish had become a “huge issue,” another resident said, adding the bags made it difficult for elderly people or those with prams to pass.
“The smell is horrible, especially now with the summer heat kicking in,” she said.
While rubbish bags on the street have been an issue “for years”, the problem had worsened with the arrival of tourists in the summer months, the residents said.
While the local council is aware of the issue, efforts to combat the problem had proven difficult, he said.
“It’s a daily issue... it all boils down to enforcement,” said Borg Manché.
Despite frequent reports being sent to the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), enforcement remained insufficient, he said.
“Once in a while, ERA go and patrol the area.”
Black bags contain mixed municipal waste – anything from dirty food wrappers to nappies – and are collected nationwide on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Anyone caught disposing of waste on an incorrect day is liable to be fined.
Fines for littering may be given out by ERA and Local Enforcement Systems Agency (LESA) officials. They start at €150 and can go as high as €500 for repeat offences.
Problems with waste disposal in Gżira have existed for some time but have become less manageable as the locality’s population increased, Borg Manché explained.
“Nothing was done to address the problem in a proper way, and with the increase it became worse,” he said.
From 1995 to 2011, Gżira’s population remained stable at around 7,000, according to official census data. By 2021, it had jumped to over 10,000 and is now suspected to be even higher.
Repeated requests from the council to authorities for details about administrators were being ignored, he said.
According to the Condominium Act, administrators should “regulate the... performance of services in the common interest,” and perform other duties to help the proper management of the building. They are a legal requirement in buildings with more than three apartments.
In a statement, a spokesperson for ERA said the authority was focused on educational efforts as well as enforcement.
“Until October, ERA is focusing its efforts on education, with regular inspections in different localities to encourage the public to follow the applicable regulations,” he said.
“Where irregularities are noted, ERA inspectors talk to residents or reach out to them by distributing educational material containing the waste collection schedules or waste separation guides, as applicable.”