The beautiful islands of Malta sit in the heart of the Mediterranean sea. Bound by turquoise waters, rocky coastlines and the endless horizon of the ocean, it’s easy to see how much of a role the ocean plays in the stories surrounding this country and its people.
However, in recent years, tourism has brought millions of visitors to these islands, islands that are home to a population of a mere 500,000 people. A combination of over-tourism and unregulated construction has placed Malta under immense threat of environmental degradation, specifically, its once pristine coastline.
This is why it is more important than ever to protect those coastlines and the environment which so many call home. It can often be disheartening to see a land you love be destroyed by the lack of concern of others, but we can either get angry or channel that emotion into advocacy.
The intention of this guide is advocacy. I aim to provide you with the resources you need to find a beach (or land) clean-up in Malta and help to protect this island from environmental destruction.
Beach Clean-ups & Conservation
Zibel
Various locations | Check Facebook for dates
Zibel is one of the leading ocean conservation organisations in Malta and is actively involved in projects like beach clean-ups, ocean clean-ups, regenerative initiatives and general sustainability awareness. They run various land, dive and snorkel clean-ups around the islands of Malta and Gozo.
Green Hats
Various locations | Check Facebook for dates
Green Hats is a citizen-run initiative aimed to improve the environment we live in. Green Hats was created with the purpose to advocate pro-ecological behaviours and ecological social responsibility. The group run regular land, dive and snorkel clean-ups around the islands of Malta and Gozo.
Related Reading: The ultimate guide to the best hikes in Malta
No to litter St.Paul’s Bay
Various locations | Check Facebook for dates
This is a voluntary environmental group that protects the areas of St Paul’s Bay, including Bugibba, Qawra and Xemxija. Their Facebook page is a great source of green information in the local area and they occasionally run community clean-ups.
The Cast-Out Project: Gozo & Malta
Various locations | Check Facebook for dates
The Cast-Out Project is an environmental project recycling plastic bottles and educating people about environmental accountability. They aim to eradicate plastic from nature and work to reduce pollution in Gozo and Malta, and work closely with a number of local businesses, like Bubble’s Dive Centre, to raise awareness about environmental sustainability.
Related Reading: Get those cigarette butts off the beaches
Government Organisations
Clean Malta
Clean Malta is a governmental division providing various cleansing services to local councils. The main purpose of the division is to keep urban and non-urban areas free from litter and illegal dumping.
Visit Facebook page
The Clean & Upkeep Malta App
The Clean & Upkeep Malta app allows users to report trash or illegal dumping in public places. Users can use the app to report beach cleaning, cleaning of public services, emptying of litter bins and illegal dumping. A member of the council will then attend to the report.
Download the Clean Malta app on Android or Apple.
What you can do
Keeping Malta clean is the responsibility of all of us. By practising sustainable tourism and respecting our planet, we can reduce the work of these incredible organisations and ensure Malta is kept clean for the next generations.
- Don’t litter
- Travel with reusable accessories e.g. reusable waterbottle, metal straws, a reusable coffee cup etc
- Speak up against littering
- Put pressure on brands to establish more sustainable practices
- Speak with local councils about the prevalence of waste disposal bins
- Join a clean-up
- Be an advocate for sustainability