Location changes for seaside dustbins designed to increase recycling on beaches

papereres novesCouncillor of the Environment Sílvia Tur acknowledged that there were still “points of confusion for some users, occasioned by last year's change in the waste collection system on Formentera beaches.”

Councillor Tur stated that the confusion was caused by the change in the nature of the seaside rubbish collection system, a shift that requires users to modify habits – something often more difficult than meets the eye.

Despite difficulties, Tur affirms that any back-pedalling on the issue is strictly out of the question.

“For the previous ten years, a dustbin-based model had successfully worked on Formentera beaches. This model served its purpose and functioned quite well for a time, but – ever since recycling was adopted across the entire island – [that particular model] has been obsolete.”

“In the old dustbins all kinds of waste was mixed together. What we've done,” -described Tur- “is place these bins at points of entry to island beaches and increase their capacity. The change allows us to eliminate the system of rubbish lorries that drove upon the sand and represented a possible inconvenience for beach-goers.”

The councilor of the Environment agreed that any system can always be improved upon and explained that “concession-holders of waterfront businesses are required by the terms of their contract to maintain the surrounding area in good conditions. That includes making wastebins available. Wastebins that, in many cases, permit recycling.”

Finally, Tur spoke with severity regarding uncivic behaviour. “The beach is not a place to dump rubbish. It is not that difficult to take the same objects that you have brought from the car to the beach back to the car again when you have finished. This is why we've chosen to place wastebins at points of entry to the beaches.” Tur said that, for those who are unwilling to make the effort, “we will have to keep insisting until they become civic-minded. First, we will sponsor more awareness-raising campaigns, and second, offenders will be fined. Under no circumstance will we change a collection system simply to make the least civically minded among us more comfortable. Especially since, with someone who is incapable of walking thirty metres, there is no guarantee that his waste would be properly disposed of even with a bin right next to his towel.”