“The campaign was launched in 2010 with the support of Jeddah municipality and ever since we have been issuing tickets to discourage people from throwing trash from their car windows,” said Al-Qahtani.
“This campaign aims to educate and steer people away from dirtying the streets. We have had this problem for a while and we found that charging people money for this act is the best way to keep them from doing it.”
Calling littering “an uncultured and uncivilized act,” the colonel said the number of violations is down from the same period last year when 19,438 tickets were issued.
The anti-littering campaign includes signs to discourage people from carelessly tossing their refuse from their vehicles.
“We have also distributed special bags to be kept in cars so people can collect their trash in them and then throw them away later,” said Al-Qahtani.
The fine for littering is SR150. Al-Qahtani says that some have expressed opposition to forcing people to pay fines for this offense while others fully support the punishment.
Many have responded positively to this campaign claiming that the streets seem to be less littered.
“If I compare Jeddah streets now with the ones five years ago, I would say that people are more civilized and educated,” said Tarik Al-Saadi, a 42-year-old mall security guard.
“Even inside supermarkets and shopping centers, people are asking for trash bins to throw in their rubbish. This only makes me happy because it makes it easier for mall and street cleaners.”
But Pakistani street cleaner Abdulmannan says he hasn’t seen much difference when it comes to cleaning up after families who picnic on the corniche — a popular local pastime.
“They have meals and snacks and leave their trash behind,” he said. “We come every morning to collect the trash and battle the street cats that make it even worse by scattering disposed food and litter everywhere.”
