Disregard For Authority With Illegal Dumping of Tyres

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The irony of seeing heaps of garbage at the base of a no littering sign, yet this is a very common occurrence in many areas of Trinidad and Tobago. 

In the above photos, taken along the Southern Main Road in Curepe, we see heaps of old tyres an crates, stacked on the side of the side of the pavement, in close proximity to the main road and a near by sign that warns against littering. Clearly the large hole in the pavement which is also a health risk to commuters also shows neglect by the regional cooperation, as it does not seem to be a newly formed hole. 

This must be a source for concern as the tyres can accumulate water which will lead to the breeding ground for rats, cockroaches and mosquitoes, which harbor diseases which are harmful to human health, such as dengue and more recently the zika virus. The close proximity within the urban sprawl can lead to mass breakouts of these viruses.

Both Rees(1992) and Childe(1950) spoke on the large build up of surplus waste, which comes from the greater ecological footprint which these urban centers posses over the surroundings. Due to increased consumerism, more materials are used and discarded on a regular basis.it can also be safe to assume that the garbage collection does not collect such items as seen in the photos, so the owners left them on the roadway as their option of "getting it off their hands". Rees also said that the third world countries acks proper disposal systems, which would account for the build up of the old tyres.

Surely there must be more measures put in place to handle such persons who pose a threat to the environment and other humans in their surroundings. More enforcement of litter laws are required to deter persons from committing such acts, also insect vectors should also pass and spray areas to ensure that they eradicate any possible pests that may use these spaces as a breeding ground. Other systems of waste disposal will also assist in the removal of these items, which are not picked up by the regular garbage collection trucks. Finally, education is always the key to solving problems, and thus more public education should be done to educate, inform and deter persons from doing activities as shown in the photos above. The issue of the damaged manhole cover is also an issue which should be taken up with the regional cooperation, as it is a hazard to any one who may step into the hole.