Alia: «Of the approximately 2 thousand kilos that each Monday market produces on average, currently just under 1400 kg are sent for recycling»
[16 Aprile 2024]
A new agreement was signed yesterday in Prato to increase the quality and quantity of separate waste collection among the stalls of the weekly market in Piazza del Mercato Nuovo.
It was signed by the manager of urban hygiene services in the area (Alia Multiutility) together with the Municipality, trade associations (Anva Confesercenti, Fiva Confcommercio) and trade unions (Fivag Cisl) representing street vendors.
«This memorandum of understanding, together with the reorganization of the market – explains Benedetta Squittieri, councilor for economic development of the Municipality of Prato – will raise the quality of the central market and help us make the market more beautiful. Thanks to all the operators who collaborate to achieve the goal of an increasingly cleaner and more sustainable central market.”
The protocol is based on the sharing by all signatories of the existence of a situation of lack of attention towards public space, a low level of control over the correctness of disposals and a large quantity of waste left on the ground in indiscriminately during the weekly market. In the meantime, a first phase of testing of the Ecomercato project has already been conducted, so as to begin to educate and inform stall holders and street vendors through the distribution of information material and the delivery of black bags (for the collection of non-separatable waste) and blue bags (for the collection of light multi-materials, such as plastic, aluminum and tetrapak packaging).
In a few months the experimentation led to a 10% increase in separate waste collection (from 55% to 65%, on approximately 2,000 kilograms of waste collected on average every week) detected at the end of the central market on Monday in Piazza del Mercato Nuovo.
From these encouraging results now arises the desire to make the project stable and structured and to involve not only the street vendors, but also the market goers themselves.
«Of the approximately 2 thousand kilos that each Monday market produces on average, currently just under 1400 kg are sent for recycling – argues Claudio Bertini, head of services for the Prato area of Alia – Each street vendor leaves his waste in an orderly manner in the pitch and we have also set up areas specifically for organic waste. In the coming weeks we will start checks by environmental inspectors to sanction incorrect behavior following this extensive awareness and communication campaign.”
As part of the central market in Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, Alia’s Ecovan has been positioned in an easily accessible area, where waste coming exclusively from domestic users can be delivered, normally not available in the door-to-door collection circuit . At the same time, the Ecovan will become a point of reference for supplying street vendors with bags in which to dispose of waste.
The Ecomercato project could also be extended to the other markets that take place weekly in the various neighborhoods of the city and envisages, after the initial phase of information, awareness and distribution of equipment, a series of checks and checks by Alia’s environmental inspectors, called upon to sanction incorrect behaviour. Those who demonstrate that they respect the environment and the rules of the project will, however, be awarded a certificate of merit.
Tags: Emarket Prato separate waste collection stalls decorum public spaces
