Rio Fines People Littering the Streets; 110 Fined on First Day

08/21/2013 - 08h52

Rio's Government started fining this Tuesday (20) people throwing trash on the streets. Between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 110 people were fined under the "Zero Trash" program, downtown.

Among the main trash thrown by pedestrians, there were cigarette butts and food-packaging trash. On the first day, 58 city official teams monitored Rio's downtown. Next week, the initiative will be expanded to the South Area of the city.

Each team has an agent from the Municipal Urban Waste/Cleaning Company (Comlurb), a municipal guard and a military police officer. They walk around with a portable printer in order to issue the fine. If the person refuses to provide identification, they can be taken to the police station.

The fine ranges from R$ 157 (US$ 65.5) to R$ 3,137 (US$ 1,310). "It depends on the volume of trash. For a cigarette butt or a soda can, for example, the fine is R$157. A truck driver leaving debris on the street will get the maximum fine," explains Fernando Alves, the program coordinator.

Parents of children throwing garbage will be responsible for paying the fine. The city also tried to make a deal with the Federal Police to apply the fine to tourists committing the offense.

After receiving the fine, the person must print a ticket on Comlurb website and make payment by the 10 of the following month. If the ticket is not paid, the person might have their name included on the bad creditors list. It is also possible to appeal the decision by going to Comlurb Ombudsman.

The main goal of this law is to raise awareness of the importance of not littering on the streets, beaches, parks and any other public area. This law, created in 2002, already existed but was only applied to companies. As of today, the law is valid for everyone in the city.

Translated by SIMONE PALMA

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