Arona Council Rejects Oil Collection Fix, Considers Scrapping Service

Arona City Council recently voted against a proposal from the Socialist party to fix the failing used cooking oil collection service. In fact, the local government is thinking about removing the service entirely, blaming vandalism and misuse by residents.

Rosana Jiménez, a spokesperson for the Socialist party, argued for an urgent check of the bins, fixes in problem areas, and making sure the collection company followed its contract.

The Socialists say the service is in "widespread deterioration," with dirty, broken, and smelly bins in places like El Fraile, Los Cristianos, and Costa del Silencio. "Collection isn't happening on time or properly," Jiménez said during her speech.

Clari Pérez (CC), the Environment Councillor for the ruling party, admitted there are issues with how the bins are used and maintained. However, she blamed residents for misusing them. "In some cases, people kick the bins or throw in the wrong kind of rubbish," Pérez stated.

The councillor also shared that from January to October this year, only 20 liters of used cooking oil were collected across the whole area. The collection company's latest report confirmed this low number, blaming it on people misusing the equipment. She believes the main issue is a lack of public awareness, saying: "Until it affects their wallets, the behavior of those who don't comply won't change."

The ruling party said any review of the used oil collection service would be part of the new cleaning contract, which isn't due until 2027.