By Sunday, 5,400 tonnes of waste had piled up on the streets of the French capital. Waste collectors have been on strike for almost a week protesting against pension reform, France 24 reports. Locals are sympathetic to the protesters but complain about the bins clogging up the streets, the report notes.
A nearly week-long strike of rubbish collectors has left piles of waste on the streets of Paris. They began last Tuesday. This was another consequence of the government-initiated pension reform, which will increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Half of the twenty Parisian districts have been affected by the protest. Residents of the remaining ten use waste collection and removal services from private contractors. Many of those living in the districts affected by the strike understand the reasons for the protest, but complain about the consequences.
LOCAL RESIDENT: I think everyone understands the situation, everyone understands why the streets are littered with rubbish bins. But tourists, I think, are a bit shocked by this, it’s true. Paris is considered to be a dirty city, but it’s a completely different level!
LOCALIST: I understand the position of the protesting waste pickers on the one hand. But on the other hand the streets are, let’s say, not at their best!
The mayor’s office in Paris reported that 5,400 tonnes of rubbish had piled up on the streets of the French capital as of Sunday. Along with the strike, three key incinerators on the outskirts of Paris have suspended operations. This has only exacerbated the problem. The capital’s household waste agency Syctom has said it is diverting waste trucks to other storage and recycling facilities in the region. It has not yet enlisted the help of the police to disperse protesters at the plants in question, which would be a last resort.
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