A crackdown on waste offences has led to an increase in the number of fines for residents in two city-centre areas as a result of a new city council waste regulation. Will imposing fines solve the problem?
A total of 317 fines were handed out to people in Cathays and Plasnewdd after residents were penalised for waste offences.
Cardiff Council said it reflected an increase in action to coincide with its new bin regime, which saw a change in the size of wheeled bins to increase recycling and the change from black bags for general waste within bag collection wards to bespoke red-and-cream bags.
We hit the streets to find out the general waste situation; if people had enough information on the new waste regime and should fines be imposed on residents who do not comply with the system?
Kev Mccurdy, Professional Fight Choreographer
I have a lot information on the new bin regime. We have the black bins, green bags, food waste bins People on my street were really hot on this as soon as it was introduced. We realised it was what we needed.
I believe people have enough information but you can give people information and it depends on what they do with it. We all want to keep things nice and tidy and I don’t know why people wouldn’t want to do that and so yes, they should be fined if they go against the rules.
Dorothy Sims, Retired Telephonist
I am a responsible person and I like to do what is right for my life and town. People have information on the new bin regime and so do I. I think there are a lot of people who just do not bother about what to do with waste but on the whole there is enough information. People who continually repeat the waste offence should be fined.
There’s far too much waste. All the shops contribute to this because everything gets packaged. Cardiff is a mess. You see cigarette ends all over. The council cannot go picking up. People have to do it.
Faye Gibbon, Student
Definitely, I think people should be fined for disregarding waste management rules because a good environment is important for us and future generations. A neat environment will make Cardiff look beautiful and definitely a fine would make people think twice and do the right thing.
There is quite a lot of litter around but it could be worse because people try as much as possible to use the bins. I do not have a clue about the new waste bin rules so I think there should be more education on that, posters carrying information on that should be made available in towns and homes so people can read it.
Akolade Akiyode, PhD Student
I live in a serviced apartment so all I do is to put my waste where the trash is so it is not like living on a street where I need to bring out my waste on certain days.
I have no idea about the new bin regime. But it is a good idea to try and get people to sort out their litter in the right way. If it comes to a fine just to get people doing the right thing, it is a good idea; it will keep the city clean. If you limit it to only creating awareness on how to sort out litter or use the right bags, people will listen but there is no guarantee that they will obey the rules. Fines are a subtle way of creating awareness aside the fact that it is a penalty.
Lowri Morgan, Teacher
I do not live here but come down to Cardiff about three or four times a year but the general waste situation has been better for the last two years than previously.
All I know about the new bin regime is that you are made to pay a fine if you go against the rules. I think there should be enough education on what to do. I think most people are given information on what to do with the different waste bags but it is just that some people do not make the effort that they should in separating their waste. People should be fined if it is an ongoing thing.