The Environmental Protection Unit (UPMA) and the Department of Municipal Services of the City Council of La Laguna They are collaborating to locate those responsible for dumping garbage and belongings in the face of the increase that is being detected in the rural areas of the northeast region.
UPMA is also carrying out an information and awareness campaign among companies and entities in the area to promote the collaboration of citizens and curb uncivil attitudes that not only pollute, but also contribute to the appearance and proliferation of pests in these rural and natural environments, with the consequent harm and risk to health.
The councils of Environment and Municipal Services collaborate to try to put a stop to a practice that poses significant environmental risks, both due to leaching of substances to the ground, as well as due to the risk of fires and due to the attracting factor for rats and insects, the City Council of La Laguna reported this Wednesday in a release.
Only in the last few weeks has the UPMA located large spills on lots and roads in the towns of Tejina, Valle de Guerra and Jóver, both in the course of its surveillance work in rural areas, and thanks to the collaboration of the citizenship.
The mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, assures that the City Council “will spare no effort to continue fighting against this type of vandalism that deteriorates and causes multiple damages to our environment.”
The Councilor for the Environment, Animal Welfare and the Fight against Climate Change, José Luis Hernández, explains that the Unit’s agents are detecting garbage spills of all kinds and require the collaboration of the Local Police, in cases where it is possible to identify the offenders, so that the corresponding disciplinary proceedings can be initiated.
Hernández regrets that “these uncivic attitudes continue in the 21st century” and denounces that, in addition to cases of residents in the municipality, “offenders possibly from other municipalities are being detected, since the evidence collected from the discharges point to multiple origins. , and that transport unseparated garbage in trucks to throw it on rural land, where it is more difficult for them to be detected, as well as next to urban waste collection containers.
In some of these interventions, UPMA has been able to verify that the waste came from works or cleaning carried out by individuals or businesses, who had contracted the services of waste management companies or individuals for transport and with the commitment that the waste would be treated and delivered to the collection points set up for this purpose.
The City Council recalls that those responsible could face a penalty of between 3,000 and 60,000 euros, since the uncontrolled abandonment, dumping or disposal of waste that, due to its volume or dangerousness, may cause serious damage to natural resources and is a very serious offense. serious in the Municipal Ordinance for Cleaning Public Spaces and Urban Solid Waste Management.
In addition, in certain cases, they could constitute a crime against the environment or public health.
The councilor requests that any citizen who is aware of a discharge in these spaces inform the Unit of the location, images and all information that may be relevant to identify the persons responsible and thus be able to claim the removal and replacement of the previous state or proceed to act in accordance with the regulations in this regard.
José Luis Hernández asks for the neighborhood collaboration to locate the offenders, as well as to speed up the implementation of a Clean Point in the Northeast, since La Laguna currently only has one, located in Taco.
In addition, the mayor recalls that La Laguna offers a free municipal equipment collection service.
