Wasp stings a sore spot for Deer Lake garbage collectors

An ideal home for stinging insects is causing big problems for garbage collectorsin Deer Lake.

Many residents put their trash bagsinto garbage boxes for collection.But it turns out that's also a prime spot for wasp nests,and the people tasked withtakingthosebags away are suffering the consequences.

"Within the last week's run, Monday to Friday, we had a total of nine stings," said Dwight McKay, who runs B&S Trucking, the garbage collection contractor for the town.

"This has been recurring for a few years. It's seemingly worse this year.

According to McKay, last yeara worker was stung in the leg and had to spend several evenings at the hospital in Corner Brook for treatment. Now, the garbage collectors are following a simple rule to protect themselves on the job.

"Itell 'em, if there's any sign of hornets or infestations to refuse to collect," said McKay.

While hornets are extremely uncommon on the island of Newfoundland, the term is often used to describe wasps, of which there's no shortage of, much to the chagrin of the collectors.

Changing times, changing trash

McKay says his company has been advocating the town to change the way it regulates trash collection for some time.

"We've been pushing for waste to be out of the box at collection time," he said.

McKay wants the town to move to curbside collection boxes similar to those used in St. John's, and not just because of the wasp stings: the garbage boxes also make great breeding grounds for rats, mice and squirrels.

"We have quite a few boxes that are infested," he told CBCRadio's Corner Brook Morning Show.

Mayor Dean Ball told CBCNews the town is encouraging residents to buy plastic, curbside containers, but itwon't be making any regulatory overhauls to the collection system itself, at least until the new recycling program kicks into gear in October.

That leaves McKay and his workers to continue to deal with stings,and continue tohope that one day the boxes become athing of the past.

"Garbage boxes are a wonderful thing to put your waste into, but when it comes to getting that waste out, it becomes another issue," he said.

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