With spring-cleaning on everyone's mind, and warm weather rolling in, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District would like to remind citizens about the dangers of illegal dumping.
Illegal dumping is when waste is not properly disposed of, and/or discarded in improper areas. Conservation officers in the Clearwater area are going to be actively patrolling known illegal dumpsites to prosecute offenders, and anyone who witnesses illegal dumping should call their local CO or the TNRD. The TNRD spends around $30,000 annually on combating and cleaning up illegal dumping.
Yard waste is usually the most common item to be illegally dumped. This is turn attracts other items such as wood waste, carpets, old furniture and tires. Once this material is presents at an illegal dumping location, household garbage tends to show up. Car batteries, used oil containers, paint and other household hazardous materials illegally dumped are a serious environmental problem, as they can contaminate water tables and endanger wildlife.
Motion sensor cameras have also been installed throughout the region to catch illegal dumpers in the act. The cameras track activity in illegal dumping hot spots by catching vehicle license plates, and then relay the evidence to conservation officers who then issue fines accordingly. Many illegal dumping sites go unreported however.
"There is a huge cost associated with hauling and land filling waste," says Adriana Mailloux, TNRD environmental services technician. "As consumers it is our responsibility to properly dispose of the waste we create. As a society we need to make it completely socially unacceptable to use illegal dumping as a way to get rid of materials. Please stand up for the environment and report illegal dumpsites or a person who has illegally dumped."
Currently the Clearwater landfill accepts yard waste, batteries, used oil, scrap metal and tires free of charge. The landfill is open Saturday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to dispose of any of these materials for free. The landfill is closed Fridays during the summer.
Call the Conservation Officer service at 1-877-952-7277 to report sites/offenders and call the TNRD to arrange cleanup for material dumped on Crown land at 1-877-377-8673 or send an email to recyclenow@tnrd.bc.ca.
- by Patrick Blennerhassett, communications coordinator with Thompson-Nicola Regional District