Illegal deposits, street cleaning …: Is Toulouse a clean or dirty city?
Through Gabriel Kenedi
Published on
Toulouse is she a clean or dirty city ? Urination, dog droppings, cigarette ends, illegal dumps … many residents believe that their city could be cleaner. And let it be known.
Evidenced by the appearance on social networks of the hashtag #RassageToulouse, which has grown in recent months to challenge the town hall on problems related to cleanliness and incivility.
After #SaccageParis, #SaccageToulouse
On Instagram, an eponymous account was born several weeks ago – for the inconveniences observed on a daily basis in the city center.
“My role is to show elected officials what is wrong, even if certain actions are going in the right direction”, explained the creator of this “apolitical” account to Toulouse news at the end of August, which was inspired by the movement #RampageParis, very popular in the capital. Since then, publications have swarmed, in much smaller proportions than in Paris.
@Toulouse @TlseMetropole hello the rue Louis plana in Toulouse it is planned one day to clean it because it is getting worse and worse ?? #toulouse #saccagetoulouse pic.twitter.com/GnWdjRW6AO
– Chris (@CapitoleSMC) September 29, 2021
In Saint-Michel: “This district is a waste reception center”
The discontent linked to cleanliness issues is not the prerogative of the city center. A Saint Michel, Hélène B. is not angry about the cleanliness of her neighborhood. ” It’s disgusting ! She laments.
“We live in an open-air recycling center. People no longer want their sofa, their mattress? They throw it in the street! The students party on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening? There are lots of bottles. in the street the next day … On the first day of school, my daughter, who is 4 years old, found herself with a piece of glass in her sandals, do you realize? play area at Île du Ramier , which is nevertheless great because it is infested with rats. As for the Grand Rue Saint-Michel, it is a real dumping ground! of this district, as in the city center or in Busca? “.
The young woman pursues: “I come from Paris and I told myself that it was not possible to do worse but Toulouse breaks all records. Between that and the daily incivilities, it is really not pleasant to raise children in such conditions ”. Disgusted, she plans to “get petitions signed” and even move if nothing changes.
The whole city is concerned
Proof that the subject of cleanliness is a concern of the inhabitants: many contributions have been made on this subject in the recent citizen consultation launched by the City of Toulouse. Some examples :
At La Cartoucherie, a citizen, for example, asks the town hall to act against illegal deposits. “Underground containers for household waste and selective sorting are great for integrating, but they work major illicit deposit problems at the foot of the terminals, as is too much the case at the Cartoucherie because of the lack of education of some ”, asks Navillus76.
In Montaudran, a mother of a family wonders: ” How to raise children with the sense of respect that is due to them and that they owe to others if every morning they have the impression of arriving in a deposit? In this regard, the primary school of Montaudran offers a very sad example to the people who attend it and in the first place to the children. It is urgent to understand that their education will depend on the respect we have for them, ”she warns.
Another example at Trifle, where “there are big problems of cleanliness and pollution of the public space in the sector”, estimates “Cornflower”, which suggests to the City to put in place.
“There is no degradation”, estimates the town hall
Is there really a degradation of cleanliness in the public space in Toulouse? In its report on waste for the year 2020, Toulouse Métropole notes a “Increase illegal deposits” (+880 tonnes between 2019 and 2020, editor’s note). But the perimeter does not only concern the Pink City but the 37 cities of the Metropolis. No updated data has been made public since.
On the side of the town hall of Toulouse, we assure that the city is not dirtier than before. Quite the contrary.
” There is no degradation of cleanliness in the city center and in the city in general. There may be pictures of seasonality in summer and September but overall the numbers are usual or lower compared to previous years. This does not mean that there is complacency on our part. We can always improve in terms of cleanliness, ”believes Emilion Esnault, the deputy mayor in charge of security and public tranquility.
If some inhabitants perceive a deterioration, it is because there is “A contrasting effect compared to the Covid period“, Suggests Emilion Esnault Qui argues:” We spent many months in confinement and curfew, which means that the city was less crowded, with less night attendance as well. There was therefore less incivility. But for some time now, life has resumed ”.
“Our agents clean the streets 24 hours a day”
Cleaning services obviously do not sit idly by. In 2020, 355,812 tonnes of household and similar waste had been collected in the metropolis, which represents 443 kilos of waste per inhabitant. This is waste from the daily domestic activity of households and waste from economic activities collected under the same conditions as these. This therefore includes: residual household waste, packaging and paper (sorting bin) and glass.
To ensure street cleaning, “We do not hesitate to modernize and modify the equipment” adds Emil Esnault. Machines that allow high-pressure cleaning of the streets of the Pink City. The elected insists: ” Our agents clean the streets 24 hours a day, with passages at night, in the early morning before the city comes alive, with washers and karchers. During the day, the agents collecting the baskets. There is a vigilance that continues throughout the day ”.
Wild deposits: think of Allô Toulouse
While everyone has their own perception of cleanliness in the city, Emilion Esnault defends his action, and in particular the service Hello Toulouse, which can be effective to fight against wild deposits.
“With a simple call from Allô Toulouse, it is possible to make an appointment to remove bulky items for free, which is not the case in all cities. We offer free collection of almost everything within 48 hours. There has been an increase in resources on the issue of bulky items to be really very responsive, so that all those who call Hello Toulouse are not discouraged. This service, which is the strongest response offered to Toulouse residents to prevent illegal deposits, is not always known, ”continues the deputy mayor.
An anti-incivility brigade distributed 5,500 PV
The chosen one adds: “There is cleaning and not dirtying. We act on these two levers to improve cleanliness. To invite the people of Toulouse not to get dirty, to deploy awareness campaigns (like the one that was recently located on Place Saint-Pierre, editor’s note). And for those who still have not understood, there is the verbalization with the brigade against incivility, which is gaining momentum ”.
As a reminder, this brigade composed of 25 officers patrolling in civilian clothes can issue fines in the event of flagrante delicto and distribute fines of:
- € 450 (3rd class contravention) for any waste throw, for animal excrement and urination
- € 750 (4th class ticket) for a deposit interfering with the passage
- 1500 € (5th class ticket) for a deposit made using a vehicle
- € 3,750 for a tag, accompanied by community service.
More than 5,500 reports have been drawn up by the anti-incivility brigade since the start of 2021. Its field of action now intervenes well beyond the city, where there are particular sensitivities.
Proof that the device is gaining momentum? During the year of its creation in 2018, only 1610 VP had been dressed.
“We don’t have to be ashamed”
Emilion Esnault assures him: “I have more and more testimonies from Toulousans who go to other metropolises in France and in Europe, tourist metropolises which were often cited as an example, and who remind me to say thaton a really nothing to their liking in terms of cleanliness. Overall, the people of Toulouse and the tourists who speak about cleanliness give us rather good feedback. There is nothing to be ashamed of but once again, there is no complacency to be had. We must continue to clean better of course. But the best thing to do, of course, is not to get dirty! This room for maneuver belongs to the people of Toulouse ”.
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