They expected huge profit, but instead…

Waste incinerated in household boilers is not the only source of toxic smoke emissions. Thermal treatment of waste sometimes takes place in secluded places, hidden from the human eye. As it turns out, it is not effective. Luckily for city guards and to the detriment of people who commit such offences.

Few days ago, during a joint patrol, a city guard from the Water Department and a police officer were cruising on Szczecin’s water reservoirs. They were patrolling, i.a., Międzyodrze. They saw dark smoke rising into the air at Krygiera Street level, in front of Dziewoklicz. They reached a safe area by their motorboat, and walked ashore, going towards the smoke. And there they found three men, a lorry full of cables with burnt out jackets, and a fire burning out with the last “batch” still inside. 

“These men, who are employed with a company providing wiring replacement services, were collecting waste generated during work for a long time.” says SI Joanna Wojtach, Spokeswoman for the Szczecin Municipal Guard. “They said, with full honesty, that those were their recycled cables which should have been disposed of, but why waste them? After the burnout they expected big profit. Meanwhile, instead of earning money - they lost it.”

All three men got the highest possible fines for committing a petty offence under Article 191 of the Waste Act.