MIRI: Littering has affected Miri City Council’s efforts to keep Luak Bay Esplanade clean.
Responding to a report titled ‘Luak Bay’s beauty marred by rubbish’, head of the council’s Public Relations Section attributed this to the bad attitude of visitors who throw rubbish indiscriminately and the huge number of visitors, particularly during weekends, causing the waste bins to overflow.
He also said the presence of hawkers selling food and drinks at the car park areas compounded the problem.
“Such problems are more obvious during weekends when many visitors come to the esplanade,” he added.
According to him, the council’s contractor collects rubbish from Luak Bay Esplanade until 5.30pm every day, including during weekends.
He said under the contract, the contractor’s workers will clear and pick up big items like paper and plastic cups, bottles, plastic bags and others in the morning before 10am, after which they will clear rubbish from the bins.
In the afternoon, they will pick up smaller items such as cigarette butts, sweet wraps and satay sticks, he said.
“However, due to the bad habit of some visitors who throw rubbish indiscriminately, the efforts of the council to keep the area clean have been affected. It is also noted that some littering is done in the evening and night when such rubbish can only be cleared by the cleaners the next morning.”
Nevertheless, he said, the council is not giving up on keeping the area clean, and has in fact taken additional steps by providing ten more rubbish bins to accommodate the huge volume of litter generated by visitors.
He also said extra refuse collection service would be carried out during weekends.
“Apart from this, the council will be taking enforcement action against litter bugs, who will be compounded if caught littering,” he added.
The council thus seeks cooperation from the public to look after the esplanade and ensure its cleanliness.