You can make it as easy as possible for people to dispose of their waste in the correct manner, but there is always an element of society that is going to dump it whether it’s easiest; on the streets, on waste ground or into barrancos.

Almuñécar is well aware of this home truth, so despite there being recycling points and a toll-free phone numbers for requesting the removal of furniture and belongings, waste continues to be abandoned on public streets.

There are days when you can leave your discarded furniture and kitchen appliances outside your door, if you live in the urban centre of the town, and all you have to do is phone them to say where it is, but… Nope!

So, the Town Hall has placed CCTV cameras covering the worst spots for this type of behaviour, accompanied by a sign saying that you’re being watched.

So far, around a score of fines have already been handed down for fly-tipping for amounts up to 1,200 euros, and lo! there has been a notable decline in this unneighbourly practice.

The blackspots where most of this illegal dumping had been taken place and are now under surveillance, include Cuesta del Vivero, the Los Pinos roundabout, Río Seco, the area under the autovía bridge (Torrecuevas), Los Verdiales, and Cuesta del Marchante; the last two in La Herradura.

So, when can you put your old stuff out for collection? In Almuécar it’s on Mondays starting at 21.00h and in La Herradura it’s on Tuesdays starting at the same time. In order to use this service you must phone before 14.00h on the said days, on 900 107 709 or by email: almunecarsostenible@fccma.com.

Now, there are limits to what you can dump; it cannot be more than one cubic metre in size, so no ditching the mother-in-law and it must be placed on a road or lane so that the collection lorry has access.

Furthermore old doors, wood in general and building waste are not considered household waste so you can’t leave them next to rubbish hoppers.

So, the Town Hall points out that Almuñécar has an Ecopark, located at Camino de la Vega Primera, s/n, where materials such as lightbulbs, batteries, wood, furniture, appliances, scrap metal, monitors, pruning & gardening waste, debris, X-rays, and photographs can be deposited. The Ecopark is open Monday to Friday, from 15:00h to 19:00h, and Saturdays, from 09:00h to 13:00h.

(News: Almunecar/Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)

Keywords: Domestic Waste Disposal, Ecopark, Collection Days, Household Items, Building Waste, Old Doors, Fines, CCTV

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