OUTCOME OF A PUBLIC DEBATE ON REFUSE COLLECTION DAY SOLUTIONS IN BETTY’S BAY HELD BY THE BBRA 16 AUGUST 23 AT THE CRASSULA HALL 18:00
OPENING STATEMENT
The groups are quite busy on dirt collection days and a lot has been said and very little done. We had a debate on the matter to determine solutions.
Is your family pet bad for the environment?
Why is dog poo so bad for the environment?
The scoop on poop:
Play with your pets:
COMMUNITY VISION
To be a community where we can live together and in peace with the baboons around us.
To be a community where we respect the rules and collaborate to alleviate problems.
To be a community where all visitors are made aware of how we live with baboons.
AIM
The aim of this feedback is to inform every ratepayer and resident of a few facts and possible solutions to prevent baboons making a mess of our rubbish on collection days.
BACKGROUND
To date there have been umpteen complaints around baboons trashing our trash and municipal workers not working in a way to prevent it from happening.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
People leave black bags on their verges.
Not everyone has animal proof bins.
Not everyone can afford to buy an animal proof bin.
Law enforcement is not policing the by-laws adequately.
Visitors come here and leave rubbish on the verges.
The baboons are opportunists and will follow the food trail as a matter of survival.
Municipal workers have a way of preparing and picking up our rubbish as effectively as possible.
Not everyone wants to be part of street or block bin interventions.
Truck for rubbish and trucks for recycling bags ride in tandem with the result that there is a short time that both bags are left unattended.
Baboons don’t distinguish between rubbish and recycling bags.
Some people see this as someone else’s problem.
Some people think that this is a municipal problem for the municipality to sort out.
Some people do recycle which adds an extra process in collecting our rubbish.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The outcome of the debate acknowledges that:
The debate acknowledges that we will not change the behaviour of the baboons.
The debate acknowledges that we will not change the way the municipality have designed their strategy.
The debate also acknowledges small tweaks in the municipal preparation process could make a big difference.
The debate acknowledges that the solutions will be largely community driven.
The debate acknowledges that are many different solutions for different areas and the ingenuity of the community will finally own their solution.
The debate acknowledges that the BBRA will have to negotiate any alterations to the way the municipality preparing rubbish for collection in certain areas.
The debate acknowledges that the emphasis to the debate was Selago Road but could be used as an example. The debate acknowledges that in some cases the BBRA might have to assist groups to achieve their solutions.
SUGESTION: OPEN BIN SYSTEM
- It is suggested that each road or area have a responsible person to oversee rubbish day activities.
- Allow people to put rubbish in your bin if there is space.
- Collaborate with neighbours to ensure everyone has a place to put their bags, both rubbish and recycled bags.
- BBRA to ask municipal workers not to take bags out of bins, but rather pull bins to the pickup area. Once the bins have been emptied, they are to leave it at the pickup area and the residents will collect their empty bins later on during the day.
- Bins for rubbish must be marked, and in the case of Selago the bins for rubbish will be marked with and ex (X). The bins with recycled good in will be marked with a cross (+).
- This method of collaboration and collection will eliminate the problem of unattended bags as they will be in a bin at all times until it is transferred to a truck.
OBLIGAITON BY OWNER AND/OR LETTING AGENT
Members of a street or block are to find out and reach out to the responsible person in their road.
THE LAW AND BLACK BAGS
No body in Betty’s Bay may put black bags on any verge or in a container that does not have an animal proof device. The same can be said for recycle bags.
WHY MUST GO THROUGH THIS INCONVEINIENCE
To ensure the efficient and cost-effective ways in which the municipality collect our rubbish and recycled items.
Only we are emotionally attached to this problem and nobody outside of our homes and investment really care.
To ensure that the baboon induced mess is eliminated.
WHY MUST I/WE HAVE TWO BINS
Keep our waste out of the reach of wild animals at all times!
WHAT IF I CAN’T AFFORD AN APPROPRIATE BIN
Collaborate with neighbours and as a collective bring your requirement to the BBRA.
CONCLUSION
Nobody, not the baboons and not the municipality will be able to sort out our problems in this regard. It is up to us to effect solutions that work for us despite the baboon and with the help of the municipality.
GRATITUDE BY BBRA CHAIRMAN
I thank each person that attended our debate and sent me emails in this regard. It all helps us to understand our situation better. It is the ratepayers and residents of this community that will ultimately find solutions to all the problems we have. This is not the end of it but the beginning, and lots will be added going forward.
Date: 21 August 2023
(WR JACKSON)
BETTY’S BAY RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION: CHAIRMAN