The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council will fine 750 euros for actions such as defecating, urinating or spitting in public spaces, as established by the municipal ordinance for waste management and cleaning of public spaces approved on December 26, 2022. This ordinance will enter in force on January 17, three days before the start of the events planned for this year’s edition of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which will celebrate its festive program in the streets of the capital from February 17 to 26.
According to this ordinance, acts such as breaching the waste deposit and delivery times in the containers set up for this purpose, that is, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., as well as using them for purposes other than those planned and do not put out the cigars, cigars, cigarettes or lit elements before their deposit in the bins set up for this purpose.
Fines of up to 3,000 euros
The new ordinance, which is published on the City Council website, provides for fines of up to 3,000 euros for very serious offences; 1,500 for serious infractions and 750 for minor infractions.
Sanctions are provided for depositing waste outside the containers, extracting, searching or collecting waste once it is made available to municipal services and depositing by-products of animal origin referring to whole bodies or parts of animals, products of animal origin or other products obtained from animals, which are not intended for human consumption.
Dumping waste directly without bagging will be penalized, except in the cases expressly provided for (glass and paper/cardboard), or liquid waste in containers.
Regarding public space, it will be fined to throw away or deposit any kind of waste, both in a solid and liquid state, as well as to carry out any act that produces dirt or is contrary to cleanliness or decoration, and to throw away all kinds of chewable articles and their wrappers; specifically chewing gum, candies, pipes and other similar items.
In addition, the dumping of dirty water from cleaning carried out in public spaces, wells or garden areas, throwing any kind of waste from vehicles, fixing or cleaning vehicles on public roads and dumping water from washing will be penalized.
The ordinance also stipulates sanctions for throwing irrigation water from balconies or terraces or the remains of pots or planters, pouring refrigeration drains onto public roads and throwing into public spaces from windows, terraces, balconies and openings. exteriors of buildings, homes or establishments any type of waste, even in bags or other containers, as well as shaking carpets, clothing or the like.
Other activities subject to sanction will be dirtying public spaces by cleaning shop windows, shops, points of sale, commercial establishments and exterior elements of commercial establishments and buildings, and the person who owns the activity will be responsible for the infringement.
The City Council will also penalize the owners of kiosks, street stalls, lotteries, cafe terraces, bars and restaurants for not keeping the area affected by their activity clean.
Throwing all kinds of leaflets, pamphlets or similar advertising materials onto public roads, as well as placing them in vehicles parked on public roads, street furniture, trees, fences and walls, will also be subject to sanction.
Other sanctions will derive from not preventing those who carry out works in public spaces, whether public or private initiative, due to their dirtiness, as well as not carrying out the daily and systematic cleaning of public roads that are affected by the construction of buildings or carrying out Works including the dirt derived from the transfer of machinery and cargo vehicles through the access or exit road to the work site.
Fines for feeding animals
Likewise, the ordinance includes sanctions for providing any type of food to non-domestic animals, particularly pigeons, rats and stray cats, with the exception of duly authorized feeders of urban animals.
In this regard, depositing dead animals or their remains in waste containers will be fined, as well as abandoning them in any public space, and not collecting the droppings evacuated by a domestic animal in public spaces.
Make all kinds of graffiti, stains, scribbles, writings, inscriptions or graphics with any material or scratching the surface on any element of the public space, as well as on the exterior of equipment, infrastructures or elements of a public service and facilities in general, including public transport, equipment, street furniture, trees, gardens and public roads in general will also be penalized.
No smoking on the beaches
As for the beaches, the City Council will penalize depositing any type of waste directly on the sand or rocks, smoking on the beaches and bathing areas of the municipality except in areas specially set up for it, and not having containers or necessary elements to avoid the production of garbage by the owners of beach bars, kiosks, restaurants and the like.
In this last section, sanctions are also provided for owners of beach bars, kiosks, restaurants and the like on the beaches if single-use plastics are used in them.
