Residents of Raciborowice and Szczytnica (Gmina Warta Bolesławiecka) have reported to us a problem with overloaded waste containers in the aforementioned localities and ask why rubbish is spilling over and being collected so infrequently. Could something not be done about this, for example increasing the frequency of waste collection or the number of waste containers? They also ask whether proper waste segregation will ever be introduced.
We sent the above questions and photographs to Gmina Warta Bolesławiecka. Here is the response of Municipal Head Mirosław Haniszewski::
In response to the e-mail of 8 May 2019 concerning the problem of overflowing waste containers, we inform you that:
1. The frequency of waste collection in Gmina Warta Bolesławiecka is set out in § 12(1)(2) of Resolution No. XIV/130/16 of the Warta Bolesławiecka Municipal Council of 28 April 2018 on the manner and scope of services concerning the collection of municipal waste from property owners and the management of this waste, in exchange for the fee paid by the property owner for municipal waste management in Gmina Warta Bolesławiecka. It specifies the following frequency for collecting segregated municipal waste from multi-family residential properties covered by the municipality-organised system for collecting and managing municipal waste:
- paper and cardboard – twice a month,
- metals and plastics: from June to August – twice a month, and during the remaining period – once a month,
- glass and glass packaging – once every two months,
- biowaste and biodegradable waste – in the summer season – twice a month, and in the winter season – once a month,
- ash from household furnaces – once a month; the summer season means the period from 1 April to 30 November, and the winter season the period from 1 December to 31 March,
2. The photographs show waste enclosures equipped with 11001 containers located by multi-family buildings in Szczytnica and Raciborowice Górny and Dolnych,
3. The waste enclosures have their own owners and are not the property of the municipality,
4. Under the regulations on maintaining cleanliness and order in force in the municipality, waste should be stored in containers without allowing them to overflow,
5. All the buildings by which the photographs were taken and which are used by residents have their own managers,
6. Under the applicable regulations, the owner (manager) of the property is responsible for properly maintaining waste collection areas,
7. Employees of the waste collection company do not collect waste left outside the containers, and are certainly not obliged to clean the waste enclosures,
8. Because of the recurring problem of untidiness in waste enclosures by multi-family buildings, their managers regularly receive information letters in which we propose, among other things:
- increasing the number of waste containers (the rental cost of an additional set of five 11001 containers is only PLN 11.00 per month),
- replacing unused waste containers (e.g. ash containers) with another type of container, within the number of sets declared in the declaration of the municipal waste management fee, without changing the fee,
- taking measures to implement proper waste segregation practices among residents, including, among other things, crushing plastic bottles, which will consequently reduce the amount of space needed to store waste,
9. The municipality participates in activities aimed at increasing residents’ environmental awareness and promoting selective waste collection, including by distributing information leaflets, preparing posters, regularly inspecting waste collection areas, and giving talks to children and residents,
10. It is also possible to deliver sorted municipal waste, bulky waste, and used electrical and electronic equipment free of charge to the PSZOK located on the premises of the Municipal Services Company at Lubków 63.
Unfortunately, as can be seen in the attached photographs (which, incidentally, are not recent), the problem is not an excessively low collection frequency but residents’ lack of environmental awareness, despite measures undertaken by the municipality and property managers. Therefore, we appeal: let us take care of the environment and the surroundings in which we live!