On Saturday, 17th May, Friends of the Earth Malta collaborated with Din L-Art Ħelwa and the Malta Environmental Foundation on a clean-up activity in the area surrounding the old bakery on Comino.
The clean-up focused on removing decades-old glass fragments scattered across the garigue. Glass poses a great threat to Comino’s indigenous wildlife due to it being a fire hazard and because of its sharp edges. Thanks to the incredible efforts of volunteers, over 1600 kg of glass waste, more than 100 kg of general waste, and over 500 kg of old bulky waste were collected. That means that over 2 tons of waste was collected in just six hours.
The amount of glass waste dispersed around the shrubland is quite concerning, and despite the large amount of waste that was collected, more work needs to be done. A striking example of the island’s glass pollution was an old agricultural storeroom near il-Forn, which had evidently been used as a dumping ground for glass bottles over several years. This site has now been fully cleared. However, an even more concerning example is an untreated glass landfill filled with remnants of glass from the former Comino Hotel. Despite the NGOs’ efforts, this area remains heavily polluted, and much more work is needed to ensure it is fully cleared of hazardous glass waste. After the event, two members of FoEM remained on the island to conduct a coastal clean-up using a kayak.
FoEM is currently leading a major project titled Il-Forn ta’ Kemmuna, which aims to restore the old bakery and transform it into an environmental educational centre. The project is intended to raise public awareness about the ecological importance of Comino as a Natura 2000 site and its environmental value to the Maltese Islands. Meanwhile, Din L-Art Ħelwa has managed the historic Santa Marija Tower on Comino since 2002. The NGO has restored the tower and continues to oversee its upkeep. Both organisations have a longstanding commitment to protecting Comino’s natural and cultural heritage, with a long history of allyship.
FoEM stressed their gratitude for the overwhelming support and participation in this clean-up. They extend their to Din L-Art Ħelwa for their collaboration, the Malta Environmental Foundation for funding the initiative, Comino Ferries Co-Op for generously providing boat transport for our volunteers, and the Gozo Maintenance and Cleansing Department under the Ministry for Gozo for transporting the collected waste to the mainland.
This initiative is part of the Ditch the Waste – Save Comino project, which is funded by the Malta Environmental Foundation. Those who missed the event can still be part of the effort to support Il-Forn ta’ Kemmuna by making a donation. Find out more here https://kemmuna.org/join-support/