Enforcement officers check businesses in Ipoh Garden for cleanliness - The Star Metro Perak

28 July 2017

An Ipoh City Council enforcement officer showing a summons that was issued to a shopowner in Ipoh Garden. Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star

SOME 11 shops in Ipoh Garden were issued with compounds as the Ipoh City Council continues with its enforcement efforts to curb illegal dumping of garbage.

During a three-hour operation earlier this week, enforcement officers wasted no time, going from shop to shop in the commercial area to check if businesses had proper rubbish bins.

During the operation on Wednesday, City Council enforcement officers were heard arguing with a restaurant owner about a pile of garbage bags that was found behind his shop.

“What can I do if other people are throwing their waste at the back of my shop?” the owner was heard saying, adding that he had already urged shopowners not to do so, although the issue still continued to persist.

Wooley Food City owner KS Ling showing the cabinet he constructed behind the premises to house a large rubbish bin.

The owner escaped being slapped with a compound as enforcement officers gave him a chance to take action on the issue.

Another eatery was, however, not so lucky as several bags of rubbish were found behind the premises, despite the presence of several rubbish bins.

City Council Enforcement Chief Wan Embong Ismail told MetroPerak that they had no choice but to issue compound to the owner.

“The eatery should have gotten a bigger rubbish bin. We conduct checks in the area regularly. We know who is abiding by the law and who isn’t,” he said, adding that the fines totalling RM2,750 were issued during the operation.

He said there were also cases of people throwing their rubbish into bins belonging to other businesses.

An overflowing rubbish bin in Ipoh Garden.

“When the bins are full, rubbish bags are then thrown on the ground next to it.

“We understand such cases do occur and we will give the respective shopowners a chance to do something about it,” he said.

“And of course, there are still some who openly flout the law, trying to blame others when the waste came from their own shop,” he added.

The City Council is now beefing up its fight against litterbugs and illegal dumpsites, taking various measures to ensure the city stays clean.

MetroPerak reported earlier this month that plainclothes enforcement officers were being deployed to catch litterbugs.

Ipoh Mayor Datuk Zamri Man was also quoted as saying that the authorities are mulling a proposal to increase the maximum fine for litterbugs from RM500 to RM1,000.

Enforcement officers checking the back of an eatery in Ipoh Garden where rubbish was being dumped next to the cooking area.

Wan Embong said it is mandatory for all shops to have a rubbish bin.

“The requirement is stated under the Rubbish Disposal, Collection and Waste Disposal By-law (Ipoh City Council) in the Local Government Act.

“Most shopowners are told about the bylaw when they apply for operating licence,” he said.

“I feel some people are just not taking it seriously,” he added.

He said restaurants, eateries and coffeeshops are advised to get bigger bins to accommodate larger volumes of rubbish.

“It all depends how much waste they generate. If the shops don’t need a big bin, they can always just get the normal sized bins, which cost less than RM20,” he said.

Enforcement officers checked on businesses with excessive rubbish bags behind their premises during the operation.

Wan Embong also said that most shopowners have expressed concern about their rubbish bins getting stolen.

“We advise them to keep the bins inside their shops when not in use or when they are closed and only take them out when rubbish collectors do their rounds.

“With regards to bigger bins, we suggest chaining them or building a structure to house them,” he said.

“I’ve seen some bigger eateries taking the initiative to build a structure to house bins in order to prevent theft of the bins,” he added.

During a check at a site regularly used for illegal dumpsite along Lengkok Canning, enforcement officers found several bags of rubbish there yet again.

“Even despite a warning sign being erected, it is disappointing to see people continuing to dump their garbage here. We will check the rubbish bags for clues and evidence to trace the rubbish back to those responsible,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/07/28/warning-to-shopowners-enforcement-officers-check-businesses-in-ipoh-garden-for-cleanliness/

Catch them in the act - The Star Metro Perak

June 15, 2017

The unit usually does their rounds by taking photos of dumpsites. — Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star

MEMBERS of the public have lauded the Ipoh City Council’s move to deploy plainclothes enforcement officers to go after those dumping rubbish.

Many felt that the move could deter irresponsible individuals from discarding garbage indiscriminately, which could cause health and cleanliness issues.

Ipoh City Watch (ICW) president Prof Dr Richard Ng said he hoped the city council would continue with the move and that it was not just a one-off effort.

“They must continue to monitor other places in Ipoh where illegal dumping is rampant especially near eateries.

“Enforcement must also be stepped up and litterbugs caught must be given heftier fine,” he told StarMetro.

It was reported that plainclothes city council enforcement officers caught seven people this month and even tracked them back to their respective shops in Ipoh Garden South before issuing some RM950 worth of compound for not having proper garbage bins.

Ng said many businesses still did not have their own garbage bins nor take cleanliness seriously.

“As such, they dump garbage indiscriminately.

The unit going through rubbish to look for any leads on culprits.

“Gone are the days when cleanliness is the responsibility of the local council,” he said.

“We must discard such mentality and make cleanliness as our responsibility together,” he added.

Ng said Ipoh, which was famous for its variety of food, needed to be kept clean as it would definitely attract more tourists and improve their businesses.

“Those that do not have garbage bins and do not practise garbage separation should not be even rated a B Grade in terms of cleanliness.

“The rating given by the city council will be a mockery if it does not include the criteria of garbage disposal and having sludge trap,” he said.

“In fact, businesses caught not properly disposing their garbage should have their licence suspended or invoked and compound issued. Repeat offenders should be dragged to court and shame them as a deterrent,” he added.

Ng said the act of providing a garbage bin for proper disposal of waste should not be used as an excuse that their operating cost would increase.

“They should look at cleanliness as a factor that can help boost their businesses,” he said, adding that cleanliness should be a made a key performance indicator to all local councillors, civil societies and enforcement officers.

“City council workers must also be given fixed schedule each week at each location to discard all garbage dumped illegally while the city council should also provide enough bins at strategic places,” he said.

“Fines collected could be able to buy more bins for the people and at the same time prevent littering,” he added.

He also said that ICW would continue to highlight issues pertaining to the cleanliness and proper disposal of garbage.

“We will also hold talks and campaigns in schools and communities to educate the public to practise recycling and help reduce garbage ending up at landfills,” he added.

Retiree R. Sivamurthy, 63, said as a resident who lives in Canning Garden, it was upsetting to see rubbish piled up everywhere while the large bins provided were overflowing with trash.

“There’s a convenience store and a food court here, so naturally there would be a lot more trash.

The plainclothes council enforcement unit will identify themselves and show the accredited pass before issuing a compound

“I don’t deny that the Ipoh City Council is doing their job, they do come and clear away the trash according to schedule, but the problem lies within the people who toss their trash here indiscriminately,” he said.

Sivamurthy said it was important for the community to cooperate with the local authorities in resolving rubbish problems.

“It is good that the city council has enforcement officers in plain clothes to do the monitoring, but how many times are they going to issue summons to these litterbugs for them to learn their lesson?” he said, adding that more civic awareness was needed.

Technician Saiful Saiya, 38, said the lack of civic-mindedness among the public was disappointing.

“It is as if the people do not really know how to discard of their trash responsibly.

“Even when a bin is overflowing, they still let rubbish accumulate until they fall all over the ground,” he said.

Saiful said he had seen council officers clearing up trash in his res idential area, and even if they were late, it could probably be due to technical problems.

“Apart from council’s effort, I think we must all help each other and be more responsible in keeping our city and homes clean,” he said.

A businessman, who only wanted to be known as Alan, 47, said he hoped that the city council would also have its enforcement officers conduct random checks at night.

“While I laud the effort, I think the city council needs to have people on motorcycles going around commercial areas, housing estates and villages to check near the illegal dumpsites during the night.

“These litterbugs think that they can get away because enforcement officers are not known to work at night,” he said.

Alan also believed in educating the young generation to not litter.

“They are our future and should be taught on how to look after this planet. They should start young,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/06/15/catch-them-in-the-act-public-laud-move-to-send-out-plainclothes-officers-to-combat-illegal-dumping/

Plain clothes officers target litterbugs in latest NEA enforcement blitz - Straits Times

April 12, 2014

An NEA officer (centre) books an offender (right) for littering during the agency's latest enforcement blitz, conducted islandwide at more than 30 littering hotspots. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

To the average passer-by, the man in a striped shirt loitering in the open-air area next to Woodlands MRT station on Saturday afternoon was just one of many other people who appeared to be waiting for someone.

He was, in a way. As part of a team of six plain-clothes officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA), he was waiting to catch litterbugs in action as part of the agency's latest enforcement blitz conducted islandwide at more than 30 littering hotspots.

Plain-clothes NEA officers on the prowl for litterbugs at Woodlands during Saturday's littering enforcement blitz. --  ST PHOTO: AUDREY TAN

Working in teams of two, officers keep a lookout for offenders. Once someone is caught throwing rubbish on the floor, officers approach them and identify themselves as NEA officers before issuing a ticket.

There are about 92 littering hotspots in Singapore - mostly busy areas like MRT stations - and enforcement blitzes are conducted regularly.

Those caught littering for the first time face a $300 composition fine but will not be charged in court.

Plain-clothes NEA officers on the prowl for litterbugs at Woodlands during Saturday's littering enforcement blitz. --  ST PHOTO: AUDREY TAN

Recalcitrant litterbugs who are caught littering for the second time are slapped with a heftier fine and will be charged in court.

The latest enforcement blitz comes after NEA doubled penalties for littering on April 1 to $2000, $4000, and $10,000 respectively for the first, second as well as the third and subsequent court convictions under the Environmental Public Health Act.

The Straits Times saw at least five offenders caught between 4 and 5pm on Saturday, for littering and smoking in prohibited areas.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/plain-clothes-officers-target-litterbugs-in-latest-nea-enforcement-blitz