Grantee: Friend of the Earth Malta

Project Duration: January – December 2025

 

The Challenge

Comino is the smallest of the Maltese islands, but despite its size, this Nature 2000 protected island attracts over 5,000 tourists daily during peak summer. Food stands contribute to waste and litter, including discarded pineapple skins, creating unpleasant conditions, particularly near the ecologically sensitive Blue Lagoon.

This litter is having a growing impact on Comino’s biodiversity, including an increase in rat populations, which pose serious threat to native species such as the Yelkouan Shearwater seabirds. Comino is a designated Bird Sanctuary, part of the Natura 2000 network, and lies within a Marine Special Protection Area. It is an important roosting site for migratory birds and home to local shrubs and garigue, including endemic species.

The Solution

Ditch the Waste – Save Comino aims to significantly reduce waste from being dispersed into the surrounding coastal natural environment on the protected island of Comino, especially around tourist beaches.

The project will provide real solutions, by eliminating plastic waster, reducing single-use items, and introducing composting systems. Designated bins for beverage containers and food scraps will be installed to encourage proper waste separation. Additionally, educational content will be available to raise awareness among visitors about the island’s delicate biodiversity and the need to protect and respect it when visiting.

The project will also include data collection on plastic waste, which has never been formally tracked on Comino before and will help establish a baseline for monitoring waste management efforts. Another key goal is to draw attention to the rehabilitation of the Old Bakery, with the aim of transforming it into a Comino Environmental Education Centre. This centre would inform visitors about Comino’s ecological value and the wider work of Friends of the Earth Malta.

Project Outcomes

The results of the project so far:

• Reduction in plastic and non-plastic pollution through two community clean ups, resulting in the removal of 150kg of plastic waste and 5kg of discarded fishing gear.
• 50kg of waste recycled and 10kg of waste upcycled.
• Increased environmental awareness among visitors to Comino, supported by multilingual audio recordings (available in five different languages) on the Comino ferry boats.
• Procured and installed two traditional aerated composting systems, initiating the on-site composting of organic waste, including high-volume materials such as pineapple skins, as part of a sustainable waste management strategy.
• Installed a drinking water filtration system at the Old Bakery Centre, significantly reducing the reliance on single-use plastic bottles and promoting access to sustainable, refillable water sources.

 

Project Funding

Malta Environment Foundation and Conservation Collective are excited to be partnering with Friends of the Earth Malta on the project ‘Ditch the Waste – Save Comino’.

This project is in the final round of projects being supported by Hublot and Depeche Mode who are raising funds for Conservation Collective. The funding is being channelled to member Foundations across the CC network to tackle plastic pollution through local community-led initiatives, educational activities and awareness campaigns. Since June 2023, 14 projects have been launched across 10 different countries via three approach categories: Plastic-Free, Waste Management and Clean Ups.

 

“Friends of the Earth Malta is thrilled to be able to take concrete action to address the waste problems created by the oversaturated tourism activities that are threatening Comino’s unique and fragile nature. The grant will enable us to reduce plastic and waste through the piloting of a cup deposit scheme and reusable beach items box, and also to start closing the waste loop by setting up a composting system to cater for part of the waste that is generated on the island. We hope that these efforts will influence tourists’ perspectives and behaviour, and are part of our broader vision for restoring the Il-Forn ta’ Kemmuna as a focal point for sustainability on Comino.”

Martin Galea De Giovanni, Director – Friends of the Earth Malta