Just one week after beginning operations, the 15 Environment Field Inspectors working with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority have already caught a number of people dumping construction waste illegally.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, a spokesman for the Environment and Rural Development Ministry said that the inspectors were former Drydocks workers who had been employed with the company IPSL and were now working for Mepa.

The group underwent training in January and last week started their placements. In their first week, several people were caught red-handed dumping construction waste illegally.

For now, the Environment Field Inspectors, who are different to but complement green wardens and Mepa enforcement officers, were not handing out fines but the people caught dumping were ordered to clean up the mess they had created. They had been caught dumping at Mtarfa.

The spokesman said the Environment Field Inspectors had started on the right footing and would now continue to curb illegal dumping, especially of construction waste.

The spokesman said no fines were handed out because the inspectors were still in the phase of educating people.