While aiming to improve urban cleanliness and maintain public spaces in the City, the Buenos Aires government announced a measure that also sparked controversy. It will apply fines of up to $900,000 for rummaging through garbage.
The goal is to curb acts of vandalism that affect the waste collection system in the district. However, those who usually search through containers are looking for food leftovers to eat or items to resell due to economic hardship.
Sanctions imposed by the City of Buenos Aires for rummaging through garbage
The measure was established by the Head of Government, Jorge Macri, who instructed the City Police and the Ministry of Security to intervene in these behaviors, demanding immediate cleaning of the affected area and, in case of refusal, sanctioning the responsible parties according to the Contravention Code.
Fines imposed by the Buenos Aires government for rummaging through garbage.
“I have instructed the Ministry of Security and the City Police that if they find any person or group of people rummaging through the containers and dirtying our city, they should demand immediate cleaning and ordering of everything. If they refuse, they should be sanctioned according to current regulations,” said the Head of Government.
How much will the fines be for rummaging through garbage?
According to the Contravention Code of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, those who violate this measure may face:
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Fines ranging from $59,260 to $890,544, according to the current fixed unit value ($731.62).
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Alternative penalties, such as between 1 and 15 days of community service.
These penalties correspond to what is established in the current regulations for the care of public spaces and the adequate management of urban waste.
Objective of the regulation and criticisms
The Buenos Aires Executive stated that the purpose of this measure is to discourage people from rummaging through waste in containers, which often leads to accumulated dirt, bad odors, and scattered garbage on sidewalks and streets.
The goal is to contribute to cleanliness in the City of Buenos Aires. (Photo: NA).
This action is part of a series of policies aimed at strengthening the cleanliness of urban environments, promoting the proper use of green and black containers, and aiming to improve citizen coexistence in environmental matters.
However, those who search through containers are usually looking for food leftovers to eat or items to resell because they precisely lack economic means, so it seems unlikely that they could be forced to pay a fine or be presumably affected by the threat of sanctions.
Numbers and problems with the containers
In the first semester of the year, 25,546 cases of vandalism on these devices were recorded, equivalent to an average of over 4,200 incidents per month. Damages were detected through the surveillance of inspectors and reports made by residents.
In most cases, as reported, the containers could be repaired by replacing parts such as lids, pedals, or tensioners. However, some were completely unusable and had to be removed.
Therefore, the Buenos Aires Executive completed the installation of 7,000 anti-vandalism containers. These new models incorporate a “mailbox” system with a spring lid, allowing bags to be deposited but preventing their extraction.
