The requests of coastal residents to clear dumped waste in their streets now appear to have materialised into something tangible. On Wednesday the Orihuela Council put out to tender a contract valued at 71,923 euros (VAT included) to put an end to uncontrolled dumping points for construction waste across the Orihuela Costa and other points spread across the 24 districts and the outskirts of the town.
Cleanliness is one of the main challenges on the coast. While waiting for an eco-park, which is still pending a definitive location, that will allow residents to deposit their construction waste in a regular location, remains of tiles, glass and bricks are appearing everywhere. All this is on a coastline where construction never stops and where many companies are trying to save the costs of removing this waste by illegally abandoning it on public roads.
The Cabo Roig and Lomas Residents’ Association even gave the exact size of the problem and, with the help of the Local Police, up to 40 points of uncontrolled dumping of rubble and garbage were located. The residents’ association even explored the possibility of taking legal action against the authorities.
The decision to resort to a tender for a contract highlights the fact that there is a debate about which government department should be in charge, since in this matter the competences of RSU, Infrastructure and Environment come into conflict. This was made clear during a recent Cs motion submitted to the plenary session.
The political groups put the question of whether or not the remains of construction should be considered as solid urban waste. Something difficult to answer, especially when the rubble is often mixed with the bag of garbage at home.
In the face of all this, once again, the only thing that can be done is to call for civility so that the waste of a few does not end up draining the pockets of everyone. “We need everyone’s collaboration to keep our municipality in the best condition. It is not just about removing rubble, but also about preventing it from being dumped again. We encourage all Orihuela residents to report illegal dumping and to use the appropriate channels to get rid of waste,” said the environmental councillor Noelia Grao.
