In Paris, with cleanliness services<

6 hours.A coffee and some jokes

Les rires résonnent déjà dans l’atelier de la rue de Ridder, dans le 14^e arrondissement.Paris is still sleeping but cleaning agents start their day around a coffee and a few jokes.Dressed in a fluorescent yellow vest and a hat, Anthony grabs the household waste collection truck and slides into the roar of the machine.This young man with a slender silhouette and half-long hair has been in office for two years.With his colleague, he emptied the first trash cans in the darkness.The machine steel jaws swallow nearly ten tonnes of waste per day.

The trash cans weigh on average 80 kg each."At the end of the day, it shoots on the arms," says Anthony.He may have learned the right gestures, the muscles hurt, "especially at the end of the week".But the hardest part is the weather."We take the cold, the rain, the wind, the heat in summer.»»»»

He also collects the bags of public bins, from which drips a brown mixture of rain and garbage.Not enough to scare Anthony, who smiles at a passerby.What about rats?A video published by Leparisien.fr showing hundreds of rodents teeming in a bin has toured social networks, raising fears of a proliferation of the animal in Paris. « Il y a toujours eu des rats»»»», temporise une responsable de la DPE (Direction de la propreté et de l’eau). « Dans le 14^e, ce n’est pas un problème majeur, du moins chez les éboueurs.»»»»

7:08 a.m..Without them, Paris would swim in an ocean of garbage

A car is quietly waiting behind the truck.Lanted at his window, the driver smokes his cigarette.The jaded air, he patients.It's not always the case. « On se prend souvent des coups de klaxon»»»», raconte Thierry, 54 ans, chauffeur grisonnant et discret."Last week, I got in front of a parking lot and an excited one came to park in a mouse hole.Then he insulted me.»»»» Cela n’arrive pas tous les jours, heureusement.On the other hand, very few passers -by show themselves grateful to the garbage collectors, who nevertheless collect around 1.1 million tonnes of waste each year in the capital just in the capital.Without them, Paris would swim in an ocean of garbage. « Faut faire avec»»»», juge Thierry.Behind the poster detachment, a touch of bitterness.

He sets a bin that overflows in front of him."This is painful.Some take the opportunity to search and put it everywhere.We end up with ripped bags.»»»» Thierry conduit le camion avec un calme imperturbable. Circuler avec ce mastodonte dans le dédale des rues du 14^e arrondissement n’a rien d’évident.Standing since 4 am, he loves his job.And he philosopher: "At least, in the cabin, we do not have the odors.»»»»

9 hours. « Il faut savoir prendre sur soi»»»»

It's midday for cleanliness agents.Anthony leaves cleaning the sidewalks in the rain.He sprinkles the bitumen with the high pressure spear, while Hamadi advances the vehicle, a pot of green yogurt so narrow that he sneaks between the potlets installed on the sidewalks to prevent vehicles from passing there.The earthy driver, who lives in the Loiret, has been lifted since 3:20 a.m..Conscientious, he takes care not to wet passers -by."One day, I dipped a man's shoes in costume," recalls Hamadi.He yelled “It costs 250 €, these pumps!You wipe you now! ”And I did it!, Is he having fun.I even wished him a good day.»»»» Il conclut l’anecdote par un adage que tous répètent à l’envi : « Il faut savoir prendre sur soi.»»»» Anthony ne comprend pas toujours la réaction des gens."Admittedly, they pay their taxes.But sometimes they abuse, and I get carried away. On est là pour les aider, quand même !»»»»

@Antony_wright @peterpobjecky @Malinka1102 🤣that guy is a Bloody Comedian.Only Russia Could do it...........But an… https: // t.Co/8iqszraoho

— Kev371 Wed Mar 14 18:00:15 +0000 2018

On the other side of the street, Christian, 40, stripping skull, small eyes and protruding bearded, pass the broom.He carefully hunts plastic bags, handkerchiefs and other packaging that build the sidewalk.Today he took his K-Way pants to protect himself from the rain."Monday, I was soaked.I had frozen hands.But hey, there are hot showers at the workshop.»»»»

11:00.Bulky time

It's time of bulky items, these big objects that sometimes clog the sidewalks.Olivier, also 54 years old, high verb and powerful laughter, goes on a mission.With its long braided black hair, it looks like a reggae singer.He looks at his road plan, made according to the meetings made with the inhabitants wishing to get rid of a piece of furniture.For example, a wardrobe at 5, rue Pierre-Larousse."People often say they have three boards when they have 30.»»»» Olivier marque un premier arrêt.Wet boxes, lounge bags and a children's chair rot at the foot of a prohibited sense.With this single step, the small vehicle is already half full.

11:45 a.m..Bike shelves and wheels ...

As the collection advances, increasingly improbable objects pile up in the truck: shelves, blankets, bicycle wheels, polystyrene plates, mirrors ... The van stops again, Olivier grabs a mattress that dragged byearth.This time it was not planned."It's unbearable," he gets angry.People drop off their old furniture without making an appointment.We waste time.»»»» Peu après, nouvelle halte.For nothing. Parfois, des gens ont pris rendez-vous, et les agents de propreté ne trouvent rien à l’adresse… Arrivé au « caisson»»»», un centre de tri fermé au public, près de la porte d’Orléans, Olivier vide son chargement dans une grande benne.Today, the collection has been skinny."There are dishwasher periods, sofa periods, shelves, etc.. C’est marrant»»»», énumère Olivier.

12:30 p.m..A well -hidden recycling center

La matinée a été tranquille à la déchetterie Porte de Pantin, dans le 19^e arrondissement.It is hidden behind white brick walls under the peripheral boulevard which surrounds Paris, lost in the horny horn cacophony: no panel indicates its location. « Ici, c’est vraiment bruyant»»»», soupire Moussa, 50 ans, agent de propreté.With his round face and square glasses, he makes 40.He prefers to be here only in the rain to collect the garbage, as he did before, for fifteen years."At least we are sheltered.»»»» Une camionnette arrive, il se dirige vers elle d’un pas lent."We must constantly monitor people," he explains.To prevent them from injuring themselves or checking that they are sorting properly.»»»» Porter de gros réfrigérateurs ou des meubles hauts de deux mètres demande de la force. « Heureusement qu’on finit à 13 heures»»»», sourit-il.

The recycling center is very busy.In 2017, 10,300 individuals and 6,400 vehicles from the town hall came there. Pourtant, seuls les habitants de Paris peuvent y déposer 3 m³ maximum par voyage.Companies do not have access to it.Of course, there are cheaters."One day, a man blocked the entrance and threatened to empty everything outside," recalls Moussa.It's rare, but it happens.»»»» Derrière le local des employés, une porte ouvre sur un espace dédié au réemploi.There are piled up pell-mell books, clothing, gardening tools, masks and other reusable objects that will be given to the association La Petite Rockette, then distributed to the needy. « C’est le seul centre de tri de Paris qui fait ça»»»», se félicite Moussa.

2:30 p.m..End of the market, start of chore

The Boulevard Brune market ends, exhibiting its cogette mountains.Plastic bags wander among salad leaves, crushed onions and crumb bread, which hordes of pigeons revel. « C’est plus propre que d’habitude»»»», affirme pourtant Katia, balai et sac-poubelle à la main."When it's the clothing market, we spend our time running after the papers that fly away.»»»» Les commerçants doivent déposer les déchets verts dans les bacs marron réservés à cet effet.If they throw other waste there, they have to pay a fine.On the other hand, throwing vegetables on the ground does not expose them to this sanction.A dozen employees are busy cleaning up the boulevard.The organization is well oiled."You have to do that as soon as possible, otherwise it is disgusting," adds Katia.We have it for an hour and a half.»»»»

4:30 p.m..Cleanliness police

The anti-uncivility brigade goes on patrol.This section of the DPSP (Directorate of Prevention, Safety and Proximity) set up in the fall of 2016 ensures the sanitation of the city of Paris.Its 1,900 agents can verbalize passers -by for megot jet, development of urine, canine excracing, display and wild deposit. Serge Vitulano, seize ans de carrière, et Angélique Ferez, novice, sillonnent cet après-midi les 6^e et 14^e arrondissements.They are in civilian clothes.This blonde thirties with sporty air and this brown stock between two ages look like a couple walking.

4:31 p.m..€ 68 per megot

Barely they started their round than a gray coat man throws his cigarette on the sidewalk, while chatting with a friend. « Papiers, s’il vous plaît»»»», l’interrompt Serge, en enfilant le brassard jaune fluo « sécurité mairie de Paris»»»» obligatoire pour verbaliser.The interested party marks a surprise movement.He does not understand French, he is Indian. Angélique s’adresse à son ami : « Faut lui dire qu’il devra payer 68 €»»»».She shows him the place to crush his cigarette, on the edge of the trash, and mimics the gesture of extinguishing a cigarette.The man does not discuss.Serge formalizes PV on his smartphone, but geolocation works badly and the Mouline device.In order not to annoy the author of the offense, he gives him a paper receipt.

4:52 p.m.. « Je suis hypercivique, en vrai»»»»

Again, a man in costume drops his megot on the sidewalk. Pris en flagrant délit, il reconnaît les faits : « Je sais bien, je sais bien…»»»» Ses collègues le chambrent. « Moi je t’aurais mis 200 €»»»», pouffe l’un d’eux en filmant la scène." And hop !On Instagram.»»»» Angélique et Serge rient aussi, la carte d’identité du jeune homme à la main. « Il n’est déjà pas beau, vous ne l’aidez pas là»»»», plaisante un autre.The verbalized pretended to defend himself: "I am hypercivial in real life!Well, not there, I admit.»»»» Pas de quoi émouvoir les agents. « En plus, je défends tout le temps les flics»»»», sourit-il. Magnanime, il juge la verbalisation « nécessaire»»»» pour rendre la ville plus propre."But it would have to be for everyone.I never see you in Paris.»»»» « Normal, on est en civil»»»», réplique Serge en lui tendant le PV.The brigade distributed nearly 110,000 in 2017.The exchange ends with a handshake. « Les gens commencent à utiliser les poubelles»»»», se réjouit Serge.The butts, however, continue to strew the ground and clutter the gutters.

5:20 p.m.. « Notre mission, ce n’est pas les amendes»»»»

Angélique challenges a rescue seller at the Edgar-Quinet metro station. « Vous remballez tout, et on se quitte là»»»», ordonne-t-elle avec assurance.A cardboard full of used plastic bags on the ground changes it.As she is not yet sworn, it is Serge who draws up the minutes for defilement.

Employed in a blue parka, the interested party remains silent and hands his papers. Dans le 6^e arrondissement, près d’une supérette, une poubelle ouverte attire l’attention des agents.A fillet of orange juice and vermeilles fruit skins mold inside.Serge Tance the owner of the mini -market: "It has nothing to do on the sidewalk.In addition, the trash is very dirty, it bothers the work of garbage collectors.»»»» Pour aujourd’hui, ce sera juste un avertissement."Sometimes we tolerate, comments Serge, the air satisfied.People understand their fault and do not rebuild it.This is our mission, not to distribute fines.»»

5:50 p.m.. « La limite de notre métier»»»»

By ironing in front of the Edgar-Quinet station, the agents find that the seller on the life that they had dislodged a little earlier was reinstalled. « C’est la limite de notre métier»»»», avoue Serge, mi-résigné, mi-amusé.Angelique and continue their round in the cold and the day that declines.