Illegal construction waste removed from Comino

During the past weeks, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and PARKS have been carrying out considerable works to improve the sustainability of Comino’s natural heritage. These works form part of the implementation of Comino’s Management Plan and these embellishing and protective management measures have been undertaken in the context of ensuring that the environment is compatible with our needs.

A short while ago, as part of the Authority’s enforcement action, ERA issued a Stop and Compliance Order for construction and demolition waste, together with bulky waste, in various locations around Comino. ERA led and coordinated action to remove this illegality.

In collaboration with WasteServ Malta, cleaning works were also carried out to remove litter that had been discarded in these areas during the past years. ERA and PARKS also seized this opportunity to carry out other actions to improve Comino and its environment.

Environment Minister Jose Herrera visited the works being carried out in Comino. He stated that this is a clear example of how the Ministry of Environment is more hands-on in order to have a better environment. The Minister explained that by means of the enforcement action, they removed the bulky waste which had been dumped illegally.

Minister Herrera claimed that in collaboration with ERA, PARKs and Wasteserv they will continue to cleanse this island and remove foreign and alien species that are a threat to the environment.

The bay of Santa Marija hosts sand dunes, a habitat that nowadays is very rare in the Maltese Islands and is protected at a European level. A number of species typically associated with sand live in this habitat. Unfortunately, only a few bays in the Maltese Islands still contain representative sand dunes and must therefore be protected to the best of our abilities. These sand dunes at Santa Marija have been cordoned in order to protect from any damage that may result from trampling. This was the first step to protect this beach. The kiosk at Santa Marija also provided assistance in this regard and collaborated to protect this beach.

Apart from this, ERA and PARKS removed harmful alien species such as the American Agave and the Kaffir Fig from some areas in Comino which had been planted and had spread to such an extent that they were damaging the biodiversity of the island.

The work does not end here. ERA will commission a Carrying Capacity Assessment study on the island to mitigate, and where possible solve, some problems in areas such as the Blue Lagoon, San Niklaw and il-Qala Ta’ Santa Marija as specified in Comino’s Management Plan that was approved by the Ministry last year.

Currently ongoing consultation is being conducted between the entities that are managing Comino, together with the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change and ERA. In addition, ERA has started the process to acquire funds from the European Union to implement the Natura 2000 Management Plans, and is already working on two of these.