Localities having a high concentration of rental and holiday apartments top the list of waste disposal contraventions. Consequently, this could indicate that tenants are either flouting waste disposal regulations with complete impunity or else they are not being informed of their duties by the landlords.

Statistics published by the Environment and Resources Authority show that the highest number of fines issued in recent years was in Gzira with 360, followed by Msida (293), St Paul’s Bay (263), Sliema (170), Pieta (156), St Julian’s (138). Similarly, in Gozo the highest concentration of fines corresponds to the localities having the highest number of rental and holiday flats – Marsalforn and Xlendi. However, there has been a significant decline in the fines issued in these two seaside Gozitan localities as from 2021.

These figures were tabled recently in parliament by Environment Minister Miriam Dalli in reply to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Graziella Galea, who, coincidentally hails from St Pauls’ Bay.

It transpires that this year (by the end of October) marks the highest number of fines issued with 944 – a significant increase on 2023 when the respective total was 636, and three times the number of fines issued in 2020 and 2021. For some reason, in 2022 (the general election year) there was drop in the number of fines which fell to 256.

The other side of the story reveals that no fines were ever issued in Fontana, Gharb, Ghasri, Mdina, Vittoriosa and Cospicua in the nine-year period from 2016 to 2024.

The spike in fines coincided with the mandatory introduction of household waste in 2023. By law, ERA can issue fines under provisions of the Environmental Protection Act.

Anybody caught depositing waste in the wrong bag is liable to a fine of up to €150. Through the Long-Term Waste Management Plan 2021-2030, Malta is working to reduce landfilling to 10% of total municipal waste by 2035.