“Heat and garbage do not mix”: in Pas-de-Calais, waste collection goes into night mode
“Yes, in the north of France too, our agents can fight against the heat! “smiles Joël Duquenoy, president of the urban community of the Pays de Saint-Omer (Capso), in Pas-de-Calais, where since July 18 (and at least until the 20th), the rippers collect the trash at night, from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.
“At the request of our 80 agents, and in agreement with the unions, we put this measure in place as soon as the temperatures reach 28 degrees, explains the elected official. It’s a very heavy job and you understand that high heat and garbage don’t mix. “If the mercury does not panic as much as in the south of the country, it still rose to 38° on July 18 and 41° are announced for July 20.
“People are very understanding”
This waste collection shift, implemented three years ago, has been fully adopted by the 105,000 inhabitants of Capso: “The population is very understanding, continues Joël Duquenoy. She got used to it and even those who don’t consult why the social networks on which we communicate now know that in case of high temperatures you have to leave your trash can outside. If the collection is not carried out at the usual hours, it will be later. »
80 km away, the Syndicat mixte artois valorisation, based in Arras, has also decided to shift the hours of the rounds of household waste collection and selective sorting from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. 166,000 inhabitants are concerned… for nearly 300 rippers spared.