/ world today news/ The French capital has turned into a dump: buckets and sacks of waste are piled up literally on every corner. The garbage piles are growing by the day. Why is this happening, when will it end, and what will the consequences be?
Against the pension reform
The garbage crisis arose out of action against the hugely unpopular pension reform, one of Emmanuel Macron’s key projects. The President is convinced of the need to raise the retirement age to 64. Polls show that 70% of the French disagree.
The authorities insist on the need for change as the population ages, pension contributions do not increase and the budget deficit grows. The opposition categorically rejects the government’s proposals, stating that the reform will primarily hit the most vulnerable and it is necessary to patch holes in the budget at the expense of big business.
The largest French unions acted as a united front. In two months they organized several nationwide strikes, drove millions into the streets.
The cleaners are on strike until at least March 20. They do not remove the garbage and block the largest waste collection and recycling centers in the metropolitan area.
Mountains of trash
These days, the “barricades” made of trash have become one of the symbols of popular protest. Photos of sidewalks with overflowing containers and bins, bags and cartons circulated the world media and flooded social networks. As of March 16, around 9,400 tons of waste have accumulated on the streets of the capital.
In ten of the twenty Parisian districts, the collection and removal of garbage is carried out by municipal services, in the rest by private companies. This happened back when Jacques Chirac was mayor of Paris.
Only municipal workers are on strike. Due to the blocking of the collection centers, however, private companies also have nowhere to take the waste.
On the tenth day of the action, the Darishbur company, which is responsible for six metropolitan areas at the same time, refused to work. “I really hope that the strike will end soon. The situation is unprecedented, every day an additional thousand tons of waste are piling up on the streets of Paris. I have never faced this,” explained the head of the company, Thomas Derichbourg.
Parisians tolerate it, tourists like it
Parisians generally remain calm. Everyone knows the reason for the garbage crisis, the majority do not support the actions of the authorities. Of course, it is unpleasant when you have to go around the sacks. However, for the sake of the common cause, it can be endured.
But the main thing is that people have long been used to it. In France they love and know how to strike as probably nowhere else. Oil workers, transport workers, taxi drivers, doctors, teachers, air traffic controllers, loaders, cultural workers, sometimes even policemen.
Unions are powerful, capable not only of putting millions of people on the streets, but also of blocking entire industries.
And tourists are photographed against the background of the piles of garbage, and it is desirable that some historical monument or Parisian landmark falls into the frame.
“Before we arrived, we were contacted by the hotel and warned that there were strikes in France. They offered to postpone the visit, but it was too late to change the tickets,” explains a young couple from Australia on the terrace of the restaurant. “Look, if it wasn’t for the stench, everything would be fine. Paris is always Paris, very beautiful, even today”, they add.
Health risks
Meanwhile, doctors are sounding the alarm. “The microbiological risks cannot be underestimated. Bacteria multiply in the piles of garbage,” commented Romain Lasser, a specialist in the field of zootoxicology.
According to the expert, the main threat is rats. Paris authorities have not been able to deal with this problem for more than a year. There are hordes of them in the capital’s canals and basements, especially in coastal areas. The smell of decomposing waste attracts rodents from all over the area, and no amount of plastic bags will help. “These animals chew electrical wires, a garbage bag won’t stop them,” Lasser warns.
Rats are carriers of dangerous parasites and diseases that are transmitted to humans not only through bites, but also through simple contact or food: leptospirosis, salmonellosis, trichophytosis, worms, hantaviruses, etc.
Mayor vs. Government
On the face of it, the city authorities should do everything to protect the citizens. However, there is one catch: the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is a socialist. It is in opposition to the government and supports the strike.
When the Ministry of Internal Affairs asked the town hall to mobilize the protesters, the mayor replied that he considered their actions absolutely legal, since the pension reform does not take into account the opinion of trade unions and is particularly unfair to those who are forced to work in harsh conditions.
Realizing that the resistance of the town hall could not be overcome, the prefect of police in Paris ordered that the rioters be forced to work to clean up the city at least a little. However, this is not so easy.
Meanwhile, the sight of city streets awash in trash is doing serious damage to Paris’ image. But in 2024 the French capital will host the Olympic Games.
They say that precisely because of the strike in 2000. Paris missed the 2012 Olympics. Transport workers were off duty during the IOC commission’s visit. Delegates saw a frozen subway, paralyzed by a gridlocked city, columns of demonstrators and transferred hosting of the Games to London.
It is not known whether the authorities will be able to reach an agreement with the unions to avoid excesses. Meanwhile, French social networks are proposing that a rat become the symbol of Paris 2024.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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To what extent does the Paris garbage strike exemplify a broader European struggle to balance sustainable waste management practices with the demands of urban populations?
## World Today News Presents: The Paris Garbage Strike – A Crisis of Democracy or Sanitation?
**Introduction:**
Welcome to World Today News. Today, we dive into the heart of Paris, a city currently grappling with a mountain of garbage and a deep political divide. Joining us today are two experts to shed light on this complex situation:
* **Dr. Sophie Dubois,** a political scientist specializing in French social movements.
* **Mr. Jean-Pierre Bernard,** an environmental engineer and specialist in urban waste management.
**Section 1: The Roots of the Crisis**
**Interviewer:** Dr. Dubois, this garbage strike is clearly more than just a sanitation issue; it represents a clash over the French government’s pension reform. Could you help our viewers understand the core grievances driving this movement?
**Dr. Dubois:** Absolutely. This strike is the culmination of years of dissatisfaction with President Macron’s neoliberal policies, seen by many as further widening the gap between the affluent and the working class. The proposed pension reform is the tipping point – raising the retirement age to 64 is perceived by many as an unfair burden on those who have already contributed significantly to the system.
**Interviewer:** Mr. Bernard, how does the garbage strike reflect broader trends in urban waste management in Europe?
**Mr. Bernard**: While Paris is experiencing a dramatic situation, the underlying issue resonates across European cities. Many struggle to balance the demands of growing populations, evolving consumption patterns, and the need for sustainable waste management solutions. The strike highlights the precariousness of our current systems when faced with large-scale societal disruptions.
**Section 2: The Human Cost and Public Response**
**Interviewer:** Dr. Dubois, the article mentions Parisians largely supporting the strike despite the inconvenience. How has this perception of the strikes become intertwined with French culture and identity?
**Dr. Dubois:** French society has a long history of social protest, dating back to the revolution. Striking is seen as a legitimate tool for voicing dissent and advocating for change. Parisians are resilient and understand the strike’s importance despite the visible disruption.
**Interviewer:** Mr. Bernard, how does such a large accumulation of waste pose a threat to public health and environmental sustainability?
**Mr. Bernard:** The immediate threat is the risk of disease outbreaks. Decaying organic waste attracts vermin like rats, which carry pathogens. The longer the strike continues, the higher the risk of contamination and spread of diseases. This situation also represents a setback for Paris’s efforts to become a more sustainable city.
**Section 3: Looking Forward:
**Interviewer:** Dr. Dubois, with the 2024 Olympics approaching, how might this strike impact Paris’s image on the world stage?
**Dr. Dubois:** The timing couldn’t be worse. The image of a garbage-strewn Paris starkly contrasts with the sophisticated, glamorous city Paris strives to project. The government is under immense pressure to resolve the strike quickly and ensure a successful Olympics.
**Interviewer**: Mr. Bernard, what sustainable solutions can be explored to prevent such crises in the future, both in Paris and other European cities?
**Mr. Bernard:** This situation calls for a multi-pronged approach. Investing in improved waste collection and sorting infrastructure is crucial. We also need to address overconsumption and promote a circular economy where waste is minimized and resources are reused.
**Closing:**
Thank you, Dr. Dubois and Mr. Bernard, for shedding light on this complex issue. The garbage strike in Paris serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental issues. As we move forward, finding durable solutions that address the needs of both people and the planet will be paramount.
