The Local Government Board of Valencia has approved this Friday the start of the proceedings to amend the Cleaning Ordinance, a tightening of the regulations announced in March that seeks to adapt the municipal text to state and regional laws.
The new draft includes a significant increase in penalties for uncivic behavior, with fines of up to 3,000 euros for spitting, urinating or defecating in the street, as well as for graffiti on protected buildings.
The Councilor for Cleaning and Waste Collection, Carlos Mundina, explained that “very serious” infractions have been typified as basic education issues that involve a lack of respect for other citizens.
New prohibitions and “very serious” sanctions
The modification of the ordinance will introduce prohibitions that were not expressly included in the current regulations. Among the infractions that will carry the highest penalties, of up to 3,000 euros, some of them are:
- Physiological needs: spitting or satisfying physiological needs on the public highway.
- Heritage: Painting or graffiti on walls and elements of buildings with heritage protection.
- Bulky waste: Abandoning furniture, pallets, sofas, debris or industrial waste in the street or next to the containers.
- Misuse of litter garbage cans: Depositing bags of household or commercial garbage and bulky items in the litter garbage cans on the street.
Obligations for pet owners and small waste
The regulation will also focus on animal ownership and daily cleaning. Penalties of up to 1,500 euros will be established for owners who do not pick up the excrement or clean up the urine of their pets.
The same amount will be penalized for throwing small waste, such as chewing gum, shells, cigarette butts or papers, out of the litter garbage cans or containers. Failure to remove debris from construction work on the public highway will also be penalized when it has serious consequences for the environment.
Commercial waste management and events
In areas of high commercial concentration, the city council will offer a free and mandatory door-to-door collection service. Businesses that do not use this system and deposit their waste in public containers may be fined up to 1,500 euros.
If an establishment renounces the public service, it will have to prove the contracting of an authorized manager. In addition, traders will be required to fold the cartons and keep them inside the premises until the stipulated collection time.
As for public events, such as verbenas or fallas, obligations already present in specific ordinances will be incorporated, such as cleaning up after the event and the correct use of metal containers for ashes.
After the approval of the Local Government Board, the text must now be submitted to the public exhibition process to present allegations before passing through the municipal plenary for final approval and entry into force.