The Lega municipal councilor Luca Zandonella has collected several reports from citizens and raises strong doubts and concerns about the recent start of the punctual waste pricing system in some areas of Piacenza. «Despite the declared intentions to improve waste management and encourage differentiation, the reality that is emerging is very different and presents numerous problematic aspects that are affecting the daily lives of our fellow citizens. Episodes are already occurring where small bins in green areas are full of waste or citizens abandoning waste in unauthorized areas.”
«In particular – underlines Zandonella – the system is causing enormous inconvenience in condominiums, especially in large ones, where each family unit is obliged to display its own individual bin. This measure leads, on collection days, to an exaggerated occupation of public space, causing inconvenience to pedestrians. Furthermore, from the point of view of urban decorum, I don’t think it’s a nice sight to have dozens of bins displayed on the street. The new system – continues the Northern League councilor – also seriously risks undermining public hygiene: waste attracts animals such as mice and insects and generates bad smells, especially in the summer months. For families with special needs (such as small children, elderly people or people with disabilities) this situation is unsustainable in the long term, both because it forces them to have to sanitize the bins continuously (think simply of diapers), and because it creates further difficulties for people who unfortunately they may already have them on a personal level and do not want more due to the impositions of others. And it doesn’t end here: this innovation – explains Zandonella – does not even protect the privacy of citizens. The bins are left on the street and can easily be used by anyone, altering the counts and causing an unfair attribution of costs to the users’ owners.”
«There are solutions already successfully tested in other cities, such as “smart bins“, i.e. bins that open only by reading a chip. Each Tari contract holder has a card that allows him to open the bins in his area and pour out the waste which is thus counted: he cannot throw it elsewhere because the card only opens the bins in the area in which he resides. This mode offers greater security and respect for privacy. Why hasn’t the Administration explored these alternatives? We wonder by what criteria this choice was made and why alternative solutions, such as those already successfully adopted in other regions, were not considered. I therefore filed a question – concludes the League councilor – because we cannot remain silent in the face of such superficial management of our community. I ask the Municipal Administration to intervene immediately to correct these serious inefficiencies, evaluating fairer and more practicable solutions for all citizens, starting a constructive dialogue with residents, to listen to their needs and find adequate answers. Otherwise, if we continue like this, the quality of life of the people of Piacenza will be worse.”
