Litter cameras to be installed in Tbilisi

Tbilisi City Hall will install 30 camera traps to detect and fine those who litter in the capital.

The estimated cost of this project is 75,000 lari [about $ 22,000] and it will be implemented via e-procurement, without holding an auction.

The mayor’s office said in a statement that the installation and use of camera traps will be done exclusively by the municipal service of the city inspection.

As can be seen from the technical parameters of the camera device, it will be able to photograph a car’s license plate both during the day and at night, meaning that not only pedestrians but also car drivers may be subjected to a fine.

Only one company, LLC Mk, has expressed a desire to sell equipment to the mayor’s office, but the final decision of the city authorities has not yet been announced.

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Since April 2017, in the central districts of Tbilisi, employees of municipal services began to fine those who litter in the streets, but this initiative soon had to be scrapped, since the patrolling of the streets required significant human resources.

The mayor’s office imposes severe fines for all types of garbage – cigarette butts, plastic bags, paper litter, food waste and animal feces.

The amount of fines is as follows:

The pollution of the environment with up to two kilograms of waste (including cigarette butts), is punishable with a fine of 80 lari [about $ 23]. If an individual throws out the garbage by taking it out of the building, they will have to pay 100 lari [about $ 30];

For garbage left on the street in the amount of more than two kilograms – a fine of 150 lari [about $ 44] will be implemented. If the same amount of garbage is unloaded from the building, one will receive a fine of 500 lari [about $ 145];

Pollution of the street with dog (and any other) faeces will cost the owner 50 lari [about $ 15], however, no fine will be implemented if the owner removes it immediately;

Separate sanctions apply for discarding car tires. If one to five old tires on the street are left on the street, an individual found responsible for it will be fined 150 lari[about $ 44]. If more than five tires are left on the street, an individual may be facing a fine of 50 lari [about $ 145], although this rule does not apply to bicycle tires.

Environmental pollution with hazardous waste is punishable with a fine of 400 lari [about $ 117] for individuals and 1,000 lari [about $ 292] for businesses.