Saipan Mayor’s Office, Basula Produkto ink MOU

The Saipan Mayor’s Office has inked a memorandum with Basula Produkto Recycling to finally rid the island of junk cars that have become eyesores.

The memorandum of agreement, signed last Oct. 25, calls for Basula Produkto to pick up cars and scrap metal around the island, haul and deliver them to the recycling company’s scrap metal yard, and develop an electronic database for recording type of scrap metal and junk cars delivered.

The mayor’s office should also comply with Basula Produkto’s requirements as to what may be delivered to the junkyard, coordinate with the recycling company to ensure the organization has the capacity to receive scrap metal, and expend reasonable effort to assist the recycling company to obtain written authorization from the Department of Public Works to permit Basula Produkto to dispose of debris collected without imposition of the commercial fee.

Basula Produkto is responsible for using its Lower Base yard to receive and store junk cars and scrap metal delivered by the mayor’s office, continue to receive scrap metal until it no longer has the capacity to do so, and also must develop an electronic database to record metals received.

Basula Produkto must notify the mayor’s office 72 hours in advance if storage has reached its maximum occupancy to refuse any more debris and are solely responsible for stripping off car parts and disposing of trash.

Henry Hofschneider, special assistant to Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, said, “In order for us to take a look at an automobile, haul, and dispose it, a person must call us at our telephone number. They can just give information, such as their name, phone number, and street address, over the phone; they don’t have to come here. We can send someone out there to look at the car and we’ll need to make sure that whoever is calling to pick it up should own it.”

Hofschneider said, “Those cars that zoning has tagged, and the period has lapsed for the owner to come in and claim it isn’t an abandoned car, we will pick up the vehicles.”

“The mayor’s office is allowed to use its equipment to pick up scrap metal and junk cars for private individuals. For businesses, the local law allows us to charge a fee equivalent to what a private company is charging.”

According to Hofschneider, they will not be collecting any other form of scrap metal other than automobiles due to the scrap yard being owned by Basula Produkto Recycling. If Basula wishes to collect other forms of metals, the mayor’s office is more than happy to comply.