RIYADH, 8 October 2005 — Time is running out for litterbugs in Riyadh. Phase one starts tomorrow with an awareness campaign; phase two follows in a month with stiff fines for those discarding refuse on the streets. The Municipality of Riyadh launched the campaign after studies showed that the occupants of the 2 million cars in the capital litter the streets with some 60 tons of waste per year.
The awareness program called “Ain Alnathafa”, seeks to put an end to the habit of littering in the capital. It also seeks to ensure better public cooperation in keeping the city streets clean. Some 3,500 street cleaners now roam the capital’s streets day and night working to pick up soda cans, cigarette butts, food wrappers and many other items thrown away by occupants of cars.
The head of Riyadh Municipality, Dr. Abdul Aziz Ayyaf, instructed the General Directorate for Cleanliness in the city to put an end to littering in Riyadh with the cooperation of both public and private sectors. The public awareness campaign continues through Ramadan. Litterbugs will start being fined on Nov. 8.
The campaign begins with the distribution of 200,000 leaflets and brochures, intersection and pedestrian bridge signage, billboards and helium balloons.
Gas Station operators, such as Al-Darees, Naft and Tasheelat, will be cooperating with the municipality by distributing free tissue boxes, car trash bags and brochures. Many fast-food restaurants, including Herfy and Burger King outlets, also have joined with the municipality in the campaign. Saudi Telecom Company will distribute anti-litter SMS text messages.
Fines Start From Nov. 8
RIYADH — On Nov. 8, Riyadh Municipality will start imposing fines on all litterbugs in accordance with a royal decree issued on this matter three years ago.
Fines will be imposed as follows:
SR200: To anyone who throws an object from his car. A person who spits from his vehicle also will be charged the same amount.
SR100: To any person whose vehicle is seen littering the streets by improperly sealing rear compartments causing dirt and waste to fall on to the street. Pick-up trucks, lorries and transportation vehicles fall into this category.
SR5,000: To anyone who is seen dumping sewage in non-authorized areas.
SR1,000: To cement-mixer trucks that drip cement in the street.
SR200-1,000: Anything that distorts public cleanliness.
An offense is recorded when the member of the Ain Al-Nathafa calls the main office and reports the license plate number of the vehicle and the location of the violation. The center then informs the traffic police of the violation, and the car owner is then summoned to the Riyadh Municipality within a period of no longer than 15 days. The offender is not fined for the first offense and signs a written pledge not to commit such an act in the future. Those who fail to show up within 15 days of being summoned will be fined according to their civil status ID number for Saudis or iqama numbers for non-Saudis. The fine remain on the traffic police computer until it is paid to the municipality.
