A cluster of colourful bins in the Matiatia carpark was temporarily removed and replaced with an illegal dumping sign during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

Throw-and-go bins at Kennedy Point were also temporarily closed, and the local board is now investigating their permanent removal meaning that commuters, or visitors on their way back to the city, will need to find other options to dispose of their waste. 

Removing the bins is another way to save money in a strained economy – keeping the bins permanently would incur an estimated cost of $40,000 per annum, according to council.

Local board members say the bins are frequently misused for illegal disposal of construction and demolition waste, or inorganic waste such as furniture and whiteware. At a local board workshop, members also raised concerns that removing the bins would bother some commuter residents who use the drop-off to dispose of waste if they’re not on the island when their kerbside waste removal occurs. •  Sophie Boladeras

Full story in this week’s Gulf News… Out Now!!!

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