Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/720024
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 28 AUGUST 2016 13 ment she suggests, is that of addi- tional enforcement of littering laws throughout the country. Enforcement of littering laws has been completely centralised, with local councils no longer having any power to issue fines. That duty is reserved by the Local Enforcement System Agency (or LESA), which had not responded to questions by the newsroom by the time of pub- lication. Galea adds that one possible so- lution could be to entrust more people with enforcement related to dumping at inappropriate times and in inadequate areas. "Unfortunately many won't feel the sting of certain words unless they are doled out some sharp fines, and with fines for littering reaching some €116 and dumping reaching some €2,329, I dare say actually handing them out, if not increasing them, might be more effective than anything else," she added. In the meantime however, local councils can only report abuses they are notified about to the po- lice, in the hope that the perpetra- tors are apprehended. One local council taking one step ahead to try to provide the police with proof of such abuses, is Zebbug. Zebbug mayor Sarah Agius told the newsroom that the local coun- cil has recently installed two CCTV cameras at popular bring-in sites, to catch 'delinquents' in the act. "We are trying to secure sponsor- ships from the Cleansing Directo- rate and LESA to install more se- curity cameras in the location," she said, explaining that many have al- ready been caught through this sys- tem, with footage being forwarded to the police for further investiga- tion in every case. Agius explained that the cameras were not the only measures taken by the local council to deter litter- ing and to lead to further enforce- ment. "Given that we cannot enforce laws, the local council can only send warning letters to households on a regular basis," Agius said, add- ing that the council had also in- troduced a system in the previous month with one of its contractors to give out free recycling bags and waste collection calendars to each household. "We are also booking Eco-War- dens to patrol the streets every Tuesday, which is the day when we don't collect the black garbage bag, to fine those who go against the schedule and put their bags out any- way," she said, adding however that Eco-Wardens are ultimately expen- sive and limited in availability. Agius explained that as such, funds would continue to be a prob- lem, and explained that sponsor- ships, if not outright funding, were necessary to implement effective strategies, without disrupting other services offered. Similarly Zabbar mayor, Marc Vella Bonnici said that littering and dumping are in fact one of the big- gest issues the local council is facing, and that it hopes for stricter en- forcement and heftier fines. "The main reason behind these abuses, is because there isn't enough enforcement from the authorities, and people are hardly ever fined. Furthermore, due to a lack of sur- veillance, those reported all too often know that they can get away with illegal dumping and littering," he added. Vella Bonnici pointed out that the local council was considering the possibility of installing cameras at various sites across the locality, but that as things stood the introduction of these cameras would mean funds being diverted from other projects or services offered by the council. "Specific funding programmes for surveillance measures would go a long way in making out environ- ment nicer," he said. "The local council has also worked to place adverts of garbage collec- tion times in publications printed and handed out in and around Zab- bar," he said, adding that letters are also sent to residents outlining col- lection times to prevent any lack of awareness. "Perhaps the most effective meas- ures I can think of to find a long term solution to the problem is ad- ditional funding and authority given to local councils to allow them to use funds on effective strategies as well as on marketing the services al- ready in place." Vella Bonnici went on to stress that the issue is being faced by many if not most of the localities across Malta and Gozo, and he added that ultimately, heavy fines and enforce- ment are a must, along with a good national educational campaign. News Photos taken from Facebook page Proud to live in St Paul's Bay, showing garbage bags piled in various locations and bulky refuse simply abandoned, regardless of the free collection services offered by the local council