Calvia police and the Calvia 2000 municipal services agency have identified those responsible for six serious and very serious breaches of waste regulations between January and March.
The infractions concern the dumping of junk, rubble, prunings and cardboard. The range of fines is typically from 900 to 45,000 and 45,000 to 300,000 euros, though there is a much stiffer fine regime of up to 1.7 million euros for contaminating waste that has a serious impact on the environment and protected areas and for the dumping of hazardous waste.
The police, the agency and the town hall's environment department created a Whatsapp group at the start of 2016. This has proved to be effective in communicating offences - some 200 per annum. Photos are forwarded along with geolocation. The police then investigate and Calvia 2000 organises the removal of the waste.
The most common infringement is cardboard that is dumped rather than being placed in containers. With junk, there are provisions for five items to be left out; the infringements are when this is exceeded. With building rubble, this is typically abandoned in rural areas.
Calvia 2000 is reminding the public that collections of junk are free and can be arranged by phone - 971 699 202. There are also door-to-door collections for resort frontline areas, while the municipal dump on the Son Bugadelles estate in Santa Ponsa is open daily from eight till three.