I just received by email a 650€ with photo attached of me leaving a small plastic tub next to a public recycling bin as it did not fit inside of the bin. Is this how we are rewarded for trying to save the environment.

Pleas, I am begging you, this is literally half of my salary as it is and I can barely afford to live as is, is there any way that I can contest it or dismiss it. Obviously it says i can contest the fine but is there any real trick i can do to avoid this.

Jekk joghgobkhom ghejnuni hawnekk, nitkellem bil malti u kollox imma vera sirna pajjiz taz-zibel ( litteralment ) jekk billi nipprova naghmel xi haga tajba jaghtuni din.

Thanks and any help appreciated.

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Edit: [this](https://imgur.com/a/bs6T9c3) is the photo that was attached, this is what the big deal is about folks….

16 comments

  1. Is it a Lesa fine or a police fine? If lesa, step 1 is basically sending in a letter. In my experience, saying that the fine is unjustified doesn’t work. You basically need to politely explain why putting it in the bin isn’t possible and why your alternative was putting it on the side of the bin. Nicely and politely.

    Failing that you will be summoned to a tribunal. I hope that your region is not under San gwann, since those are the worst. Like, really bad magistrates. South, on the other hand, very reasonable people. But San gwann…Jesus Christ. Total dicks

    Edit: when I say send a letter…I mean via the LES portal. You need an E-id. Even if you feel you won’t win, this will delay paying the fine for several months without penalties, so it’s always worth doing it.

  2. Amel petition online. Ha tigik rejected u itla tribunal fid data biex tikkuntestahha. Ghati l aqwa ragunament tijak. Jekk ragonevoli ma thallasiex, jekk mux ragonevoli bizejjed thallasa ikollok. Jew thallija emm sa ma tmut umbad tithallas wara 😉

  4. Mate i feel you but it is illegal. There are bring in sites for items like that, or break it up and deposit it.

    This is a big problem in Malta and why more skips cant be left out – people place their garbage/unwanted items next to it (not in it).

  5. I had no idea there are cameras by the recycling bins, how the hell do the connect the car to the person at the bin to the item that was discarded? Is some poor sod sat there looking through CCTV footage trying to catch people.

  6. Affarijiet li ma joqodux fil- bring in site iridu johorgu ghal- bulky refuse jew jittiehdu civic amenity site. Il- ligi cara u mal- bring-in site hemm tabella li twissik biex ma thallix affarijiet barra. Huda taghlima ghal- darbohra u ma noqodux ingibu skuzi u nippuntaw lejn nies ohra li jiksru il- ligi.

  8. Try collecting it and send in an appeal with pictures attached that you went and picked it up again. Relative had the same problem and the appeal was accepted. (If its still there)
    Explain that it was an honest mistake, but for future reference you cant. Search for civic amenity sites and use them instead. Good luck.

  9. That’s ridiculous. They should take this as a sign to empty the bins more often and not penalize users. I can understand if someone dumped non recyclable items there but not this. Seems they using this as a cash cow.

  10. If it was me, I would do as the people suggested here regarding the tribunal and explain myself, that I did not have bad intentions when I wanted to recycle it, and left it neatly by the recycling bin as such item does not fit inside. Although for bulky refuse, you have to call the Local Council to pick it up without charge, say you forgot or did not know about this option, or did not think it was wrong leaving it neatly away from the wind and obstructing pedestrians. Be nice and honest, and mention the good intention of going back to pick it up, but it was too late as you mentioned, so you do not really deserve the huge fine! Driving recklessly fines you less when you have the chance to make a mistake and kill someone on the street, and this….. You could argue the high fine, or the least ask to pay it off monthly, as there is this option too. At first I thought the cameras had facial recognition, and I got surprised Malta is so tech advanced, then I read the car number plate. I feel sorry that this happened to you, as you clearly did not have bad intentions, but if I saw the camera or the camera sign, I would think twice leaving anything beside, even if bulky and can not fit, and would find another option. I usually break a bulky item apart and dispose it or call the Local Council to pick it up. These cameras and sings are there for this main reason, for “literring around the bins”.

  11. When you have such items to dispose of call your local council and ask for bulky refuse to collect. You cannot leave any trash next to the recycle bins and a plastic tub cannot be recycled probably.

    Try to send a petition and attend the tribunal hoping to get the fine dismissed.

  13. Bruh I’ve left bags out many times and never got fined, I did do it sketchily but someone should’ve caught up if they saw this lol

  14. The same thing happened to me when I placed a small box of glass next to a glass bin because the bin was full, the camera got my number plate and I received a 150 euro fine. Like many others have commented maybe it would be better to empty the bins more often instead of paying someone to review CCTV to ‘catch out’ law abiding citizens?!?!This happened 6 months ago and I’m still angry about it!!!

  16. This is ridiculous, and the amount of the fine is excessive, in my opinion.  So, if you run a red light or drive while using a mobile phone, you’ll get a fine of €100.00 (where you risk harming another person at least), but if you try to recycle and don’t have the space (because the bins are not emptied frequently enough), you’ll get a fine of €650.00. Typical Malta

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