Dear Waze Team,

I would like to propose a feature that could help address a growing environmental and community issue in Malta: illegal dumping and incorrect rubbish disposal.

Malta operates a door-to-door waste collection system where residents must place specific rubbish bags outside on designated collection days. Unfortunately, illegal dumping and the use of incorrect rubbish bags have become increasingly common. In many cases especially in apartment blocks or busy residential streets it is extremely difficult to identify who disposed of the waste incorrectly. While fines and regulations exist, enforcement is often ineffective because authorities lack sufficient data or evidence.

Malta already has a reporting app called Clean Up & Upkeep, which allows residents to report illegal dumping so authorities can intervene. However, relatively few people actively use the app, which limits the amount of data and reports collected.

Waze, on the other hand, is widely used across Malta by thousands of drivers every day. Because Waze is already open while people are moving around the island, it creates a unique opportunity for simple and quick community reporting.

Proposed feature

Introduce a map alert or reporting option for:

Illegal dumping

Incorrect rubbish bag disposal

Users could quickly flag locations where they notice these issues while driving or passing through an area. Similar to existing Waze alerts (hazards, stopped vehicles, etc.), the report would appear on the map and be aggregated over time, allowing both the community and authorities to see recurring problem areas.

Benefits for Citizens

Cleaner streets and neighborhoods through faster identification of problem areas.

A simple and convenient way to contribute to improving their community.

Increased awareness of proper waste disposal practices.

Reduced frustration caused by recurring dumping in the same locations.

Greater transparency and accountability when waste-related issues are reported.

Benefits for Authorities

Access to real-time, crowdsourced data about illegal dumping locations.

Ability to identify recurring hotspots and prioritize inspections or enforcement.

Better allocation of cleaning and waste management resources.

Data that could help build cases where enforcement actions are necessary.

Improved communication between citizens and local councils or environmental agencies.

Benefits for Waze

Increased community engagement by expanding the types of useful reports users can make.

Strengthening Waze’s role as a platform supporting smart and sustainable cities.

Opportunities to partner with municipalities, environmental agencies, or waste management organizations.

Additional valuable data insights related to urban environmental issues.

Positive brand impact by contributing to cleaner and more responsible communities.

This feature could start in Malta as a pilot project but could easily be replicated in other cities worldwide that face similar illegal dumping challenges.

Thank you for considering this idea. Stefania