At the Eiganes environmental station in Stavanger, there is a steady influx of people sorting at the source. The sound of shattering glass echoes in the parking lot. – It mostly goes in peanut butter jars, cans and bottles. Anne Therese Tveita often visits environmental stations to throw away what can be recycled. Photo: Marte Skodje / news This is what Anne Therese Tveita tells us as she puts used glass and metal into the recycling container. – For me, it has become a habit to make the trip here. It takes two minutes and is very easy, she says. The return points in Stavanger are used frequently. But kitchen equipment, furniture and toys are often dumped here. – I don’t have a waste bin for glass and metal at home. That’s why I often visit this environmental station, says Ane Sundalskleiv Aartun. Photo: Marte Skodje / news – It looks like a small boss place. And it’s a shame, says Ane Sundalskleiv Aartun. What goes where? The biggest problem is when people put away normal waste in plastic bags, says Svein Egil Klungtveit, who is advisor for the environment and waste disposal in Stavanger municipality. – The bags are often opened by birds, which spread the rubbish over the entire area. Placed litter is often scattered across the road by birds. Photo: Stavanger municipality Today there are several options for getting waste thrown away. What applies in the individual municipality varies. At sortere.no you can check what should be thrown where (external link). In Stavanger, more and more people are using the free waste collection scheme (external link). But even if many people use the return points in the municipality, not everyone follows the rules. Figures obtained by news show that Oslo, Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger spend almost NOK 9 million each year – on clearing stored waste. – It costs money to get crews out and clear this type of litter. In Stavanger we spend almost one million kroner on this. Unfortunately, there are many who don’t care, says Klungtveit. An expense that is added to the waste disposal fee of the residents. – It is sad that we have to use camera surveillance, but the problem with littering is so extensive, says Svein Egil Klungtveit. Photo: Marte Skodje / news Video cameras in lampposts For five years, the municipality has used video surveillance to catch litter offenders. The cameras have a good effect, but there are still too many people who don’t care. And that can quickly become expensive. Stavanger has surveillance cameras in some lampposts, in the hope of getting rid of littering. Photo: Marte Skodje / news People who have left rubbish illegally in Stavanger have been fined up to NOK 10,000. – How often do you charge for littering? – Unfortunately, there are starting to be quite a few. So far this year alone, we have given around 35 pieces, which is as many as the whole of last year, says Klungtveit. This is what it looked like one morning in September when the renovation in Stavanger was out checking. Photo: Stavanger municipality Stavanger municipality is not aware of others issuing such fines. Oslo and Trondheim confirm that they have, for the time being, dropped fees for those who dispose of rubbish illegally. – In Trondheim, we have not taken the step of issuing fines, says Rolf Bjarne Brobak, project manager at Trondheim Renholdsverk AS. Investigate the rubbish thoroughly The Pollution Act (external link) states that no one must empty, leave, store or transport waste in such a way that it may appear unsightly or cause damage or inconvenience to the environment. Littering is therefore punishable. Littering in Stavanger municipality. Photo: Stavanger municipality Now the municipality has started to thoroughly investigate the rubbish, to find out who left it. – This means that when rubbish has been deposited, we check whether we can find any names and addresses in the bags, and then we make direct contact. – How do those you track down react? – They are surprised and think nothing of being contacted. Some are offended and outraged, while others acknowledge and apologize.
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If you throw rubbish illegally, you can be fined NOK 10,000 – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
