St Julian’s ‘Worsening’ Trash Problem Is Leaving Area ‘Infested With Cockroaches And Rats’
Mounds of rubbish scattered across Spinola Road in St Julian’s has left residents of the area desperate for a solution amid unsightly roadsides and infestations of cockroaches and rats.
Photos sent to Lovin Malta shed light on the situation, after bag upon bag has been piled on each corner of the road, sometimes to the extent where passage on the pavement has been blocked.
Speaking with the newsroom was Alfred Camilleri, who as a resident, faces the situation on a day-to-day basis.
“The state of the road, and the rubbish tossed there by rental flat and restaurant owners is just frustrating,” he said, lamenting on having tried ‘all sorts of things’ to have the issue corrected.
The problem, which has persisted for some time, is born of what appears to be a combination of trash left behind by people residing in holiday apartments and catering establishments, but also from other individuals failing to dispose of their waste appropriately.
A lack of action from the relevant authorities has now left residents and tourists in the area frustrated beyond measure, and they are left with little hope of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.
“It’s a shame, especially considering how many tourists pass through the area. You feel disgusted even as you walk through a shop.”
“This is what we have to face every day,” he added. “It’s disgusting, not to mention the smell of p*** against the doors of several residences. It should be called Triq iż-Żibla!”
Camilleri said that even though he took the matter up with the relevant authorities, the problem has still persisted, if not worsened.
Last month, Times of Malta reported how the problem has indeed been made worse through a lack of enforcement of existing legislation towards waste disposal.
However, insufficient resources to cope with the situation are of major concern, according to St Julian’s Mayor Albert Buttigieg.
Speaking with Lovin Malta, Buttigieg maintained his stance on the matter but highlighted that the situation can be fought on three fronts.
“The easiest way to fight the problem would be to start making use of Green Wardens,” he said, adding that increased surveillance in the area would be a key way to tackle trash dumped by holidaying tourists who have yet to acclimatize themselves with the trash collection routine.
Whilst this may be the case, it is also the case that the local council is currently without the financial means to fund LESA officials to carry out the duty on a regular basis.
“Tourists visiting the island for a short time are seldom eager to familiarise themselves with the garbage collection schedule,” he added “which means that trash is often left discarded before the front door of the properties they rent.”
Buttigieg added that the council, presently, is trying to increase the frequency of garbage collection services; another avenue to help ensure the roads and roadsides remain free of litter, even if residents uphold the law.
Buttigieg also stressed that landlords should also rally to the cause, adding that in many countries, landlords collect a separate deposit from tenants in the event that the latter ignores the rules of trash disposal in the neighbourhood.
Do you think the state should ramp up its efforts to fix the situation of litter in St Julian’s? Let us know what you think in the comments section