The image of a garbage bag lying next to a garbage can as if waiting to jump into the bin on its own is not uncommon in Barcelona, but the City Council has decided to put an end to it, at least in Ciutat Vella.
In a new campaign against incivism in the district Collboni will now seek to curb the accumulation of misplaced garbage, unannounced abandoned furniture and street urine with heavy fines and an information campaign.
600 euros for leaving garbage in the wrong place
The campaign will start in the next few days with informers who will explain to neighbors and shopkeepers that the environmental ordinance provides for fines of up to 600 euros for not leaving garbage in its proper place.
In addition, the wrongly deposited garbage will have stickers placed on them with the amount of the penalties that could be incurred.
The campaign, which is part of the Pla Endreça, will be carried out in the neighborhoods of Raval, Gòtic and Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera, especially in the streets Joaquín Costa, Carabassa and Sant Pere Mitjà, areas where the consistory has detected a greater number of infractions. The trigger was the growing unease of many residents of the Raval, who denounce the deterioration of their environment and accuse the City Council of not acting with sufficient forcefulness. Some even went so far as to hang posters on their facades calling for civility and to organize spontaneous neighborhood watches in front of their houses.
The deputy mayor for Security and Ciutat Vella councilor, Albert Batlle, has detailed that during the first two weeks the priority will be pedagogy and warnings, but that the Guardia Urbana agents have already been ordered to fine the most uncivic behaviors immediately. “The government takes this matter very seriously,” stresses Batlle.