The Public Services department of the Santa Cruz City Council has issued a penalty of 2,000 euros to an employee of a restaurant in the city centre who, on January 11, left four bags of cardboard outside the designated waste island and outside of the specified hours. This violation falls under the Municipal Waste Management and Public Space Cleaning Ordinance, which imposes fines ranging from 2,000 to 100,000 euros, increasing to 20,000 to 600,000 euros for hazardous waste or contaminated sites.
Mayor of Santa Cruz, Jose Manuel Bermudez, stated that “it is the City Council’s duty to uphold the municipal regulations and consequently penalize individuals who disregard the rules of conduct and contribute to the deterioration of the city’s assets, which are collective and require work, effort, and money for maintenance.”
Additionally, Councilor for Public Services, Carlos Tarife, pointed out that “the police report confirms prior instances of the employee’s misconduct in improper waste disposal, despite prior warnings about his actions.” Tarife stressed the importance of adhering to the Municipal Ordinance and utilising the provided underground containers for waste separation.
The City Council urges the public to exhibit responsibility, care, and respect for public areas to ensure harmonious coexistence.