KUWAIT: State Minister for Municipality Affairs and Communications Minister Essa Al-Kandari issued a decision to amend cleanliness rules and transport of garbage. The decision bans barbequing on pavements, streets and public parks and seafronts. The minister's decision included the following:

Article one: The text of the first, fifth, tenth and 24th articles of ministerial decree 190/2008 shall be changed to the following.

Article one: Definitions

First: Garbage: Leftovers resulting from residential and urban concentration and its accompanying activities, be they social, economic and developmental, and its quantities are linked with an increasing relation with the concentration's density and the nature of their activities in order to implement the system of transporting the garbage, and can be categorized as follows:

a) Municipal garbage

Garbage categorized according to the source of its production, type and its nature - solid or semi-solid. Residential, commercial, and office garbage, in addition to biological and farming garbage, as well as those resulting from slaughterhouses and some non-hazardous industrial garbage.

b) Construction garbage and building rubble

Garbage resulting from demolishing buildings and facilities, as well as those leftover by construction of new buildings or refurbishing current buildings.

Article five: Garbage should not be tampered with, sorted, used or set on fire in the places of their collection, bearing in mind the following:

1- It is not allowed for anyone other than those contracted to run and operate the site of receiving and treating solid municipal garbage, sorting or preparing garbage for recycling purposes, using or burning it.

2- Parties who are contracted can sort out garbage and get out what can be recycled, but burning is not allowed on the site.

Article 10:

1- Sewer water, septic tanks and ready concrete cannot be transported in vehicles other that what is licensed for this purpose. Drivers of such vehicles should take the necessary precaution to prevent leakage of water and material during the transport.

2- Drivers of such vehicles must cover the opening of emptying the sewer water, tanks and readymade concrete with plugs that has specifications decided by the concerned department to prevent leakage.

Article 24:

With no violation of any stricter punishment mentioned in another law that has punishment for violating the rules of articles 2, 3, 4 items (B) (C) (D), sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and 23rd item (first, second third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth), with a minimum fine of KD 100 and a maximum of KD 300, and for violating the rules of article four item (a), article 11, 14, 15, 17 and 23 (item third and fourth) with a minimum fine of KD 500 and a maximum of KD 1,000, while the general manager has the right to revoke or suspend the license.

Article two:

Item (D) should be added to article four of the said decision as follows:

Article four, item (D)

Grilling is banned on pavements, streets, roads, parks, open areas, public facilities seafronts and lands owned by the state, while the municipality general manager can issue a decision to designate areas where grilling is allowed.

By A Saleh