Nearly a thousand euros fine for not cleaning up dog poop in Alicante

Alicante is moving towards a new cleaning ordinance that will help solve one of the citizens' biggest concerns. The new regulation includes new infractions that increase from 64 to 93, divided into minor (up to 750 euros fine), serious (between 751 and 1,500), and very serious (between 1,501 and 3,000).

Actions such as not picking up pet feces or disposing of residual or bio-waste outside the established hours (from 8 p.m. to midnight) will be considered serious infractions and will be fined 900 and 780 euros respectively. A tightening of penalties aims to end uncivil behavior.

The regulation also increases the number and powers of inspectors who will not need to go to the Local Police to initiate sanctioning proceedings in some actions such as cleaning terraces and other commercial and restaurant obligations.

Despite one of the citizens' demands being increased surveillance of uncivil behaviors - such as disposing of garbage at inappropriate times or not picking up dog feces - these new workers will still depend on public safety officers for any action requiring personal identification. Therefore, those affecting individuals, such as disposing of furniture without notice or littering, will remain outside their competencies.

However, other aspects remain outside the regulation, such as the ban on smoking on the beaches. Despite the public consultation launched last summer and the polluting nature of cigarette butt waste, the new regulation will not include a limitation on smokers on Alicante's beaches.

The regulation does include an explicit ban on littering in public areas, such as cigarette butts, gum, paper, or shells, with non-compliance resulting in a fine of up to 300 euros.

The government spokesperson, Manuel Villar, explained at a press conference that the council will launch an awareness campaign on the beaches to prevent smokers from throwing cigarette butts in the sand.

In the section of serious infractions, those fined between 750 and 1,500 euros include many behaviors that are often the subject of neighborhood complaints in the city. Thus, disposing of furniture in the container without notifying the collection service could result in a fine of up to 780 euros; defecating in public or allowing a pet to do so in a children's play area, up to 900 euros, or violating minor construction waste regulations, up to 1,500 euros.

Once passed the procedure in the Government Board the new ordinance still needs to be approved in the Alicante Plenary. For this, the government team has already signed a pre-agreement with Vox. The councilor of the green party, Óscar Castillo, explained that they have submitted their amendments to the regulation and insists that this ordinance has nothing to do with the fiscal modification that will increase the bill for Alicante residents next year.

From the left-wing opposition, they have criticized the new regulation. The socialist councilor, Raul Ruiz, insisted that inspectors should "monitor contract compliance and not chase citizens." Meanwhile, from Compromís, Rafa Mas stated that the regulation "is the same as in 2017, wouldn't it be better to comply with that year's before making a new one?" Finally, from EU-Podem, Manolo Copé emphasized that "without human resources, this ordinance will be just paper."