Le Figaro Marseille
Are we witnessing yet another Marseille-style drama?
In recent days, the new method of collecting Marseille's waste has added fuel to the fire of the thorny relationship that links Marseille town hall to the metropolis of Aix-Marseille-Provence.
Less than a month after the psychodrama generated by the granting of an aid proposal worth 200 million euros, it is now the trash that divides the two political camps led by Benoît Payan and Martine Vassal.
The metropolis, which has regained responsibility for waste for several years, is today accused by the town hall of
“disorganizing”
garbage collection with a new operating procedure, the outlines of which were revealed to the press at the beginning of the week.
Among the “flagship”
announcements
: collections carried out during the day in front of collective housing and individual homes.
Concretely, the Metropolis's garbage trucks will reduce their tours in many districts of the city to carry out more "efficient"
household waste collections
.
A reorganization still being implemented, but already strongly criticized by the municipality.
In a press release released to the press on Tuesday, the Marseille town hall was
“worried about the consequences”
of this
“decrease in waste collection”
, demanding the immediate suspension of this decision.
“This decision is an aberration.
The trash cans are overflowing, there is unsanitary conditions and the people of Marseillais already pay the highest tax on household waste in France.
Martine Vassal's carabistouilles must stop
,” complains Yannick Ohanessian, deputy mayor of Marseille for security, to Le
Figaro
.
A “regression” of the collection system?
“The collection was already not working with six visits per day. It’s a totally crazy idea to want to move to two daily rounds. The metropolis only disrupts the service. It’s so out of character that I think it’s organized against the Marseillais
,” says the deputy without restraint.
It must be said that the subject raises eyebrows throughout the city, constantly referred to its problems of cleanliness and unsanitary conditions.
The images of the trash piling up in the streets of France's second city stick to his skin, now spilling over into the political arena.
In a letter sent to the mayor of Marseille and which
Le Figaro
was able to consult, Martine Vassal refuted any
“regression”
of the waste collection system.
“As you are aware, the management of household waste has evolved significantly in recent years under the influence of different national regulatory frameworks.
[...] Rather than seeking once again sterile controversy, these are the difficulties to which you should, Mr. Mayor, pay more attention, as your responsibility as mayor is engaged in them
,” she said. written, referring to the incivility and dumping of illegal waste which regularly piles up in the streets and whose competence this time falls to the town hall.
These annoying and incessant illegal deposits provoke the anger of the metropolis, which is campaigning to standardize the use of video surveillance in order to fine offenders.
“Cameras are not going to solve waste collection problems, which have lasted for decades.
But this is useful for illegal dumping, where certain areas of illegal jets have been identified
,” underlines Sylvain Souvestre, LR mayor of the 11th and 12th arrondissements of Marseille.
“The central town hall, for its part, explains that this will not work, without explaining why.
There is a real political blockage on this issue on their part
,” he continues.
When the system is not working, it overflows
Michel Teule, president of the interest committee of the Saint-Henri district
Finally, the Marseille town hall accuses the metropolis of having developed this new organization without consultation.
An assertion shared by some Marseille residents, surprised to see a change in the timetable for collecting their garbage.
“From a citizen point of view, the current collection system is not relevant and was not thought out with residents and neighborhood associations
,” breathes Michel Teule, president of the interest committee of the Saint- Henri (CIQ), at Le
Figaro
.
“No one came to explain things to us.
In the meantime, many people continue to put their trash in the wrong place.
If the public collection system does not set a good example, incivility will have its back
,” he explains.
“It’s a surprise effect. The elected officials of the city of Marseille discovered this on social networks
,” says Yannick Ohanessian about the deployment of the reorganization of the collection.
An assertion brushed aside by the president of the metropolis, who underlines in her letter addressed to the mayor of Marseille that the municipal services were
“fully associated with this reform”
, participating
“every month”
in
“cleanliness steering committees”
during which this new organization was presented.
“We concede that there are shortcomings and a delay in communication
,” confirms Sylvain Souvestre.
“Nevertheless, the metropolis has provided resources for garbage collection
,” he concludes.
In the meantime, many Marseille residents continue to deplore collection problems and overflowing garbage dumpsters in their streets.
“In our neighborhood, there is an area where household waste from traders systematically ends up in the street or in sorting bins, sometimes over 50 meters
,” assures Michel Teule, supporting photos.
“When the system doesn’t work, it overflows,”
he concludes.