Whitehorse looks to crack down on illegal dumping - Action News
Home WebMail Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 04:01 AM | Calgary | -17.0°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
North

Whitehorse looks to crack down on illegal dumping

City officials say it's a growing, unsightly and expensive problem - and they want to figure out how to stop it.

City officials say too many people are unloading their trash in the bush

Illegal dumping is a chronic problem, Whitehorse city officials say. They're looking for new ways to tackle the problem, including the possibility of steeper fines. (City of Whitehorse)

Whitehorse officials say it's a growing, unsightly and expensive problem in the so-called "wilderness city" and they want to figure out how to get it under control.

Too many people are dumping trash in the bush, presumably to avoid the cost or hassle of taking it to the landfill.

Mayor Dan Curtis calls it a persistent problem that's "a black eye on our community."

"If we don't push forward and show some leadership on this, we're all going to be in trouble."

'Its very disappointing that it continues,' said Whitehorse mayor Dan Curtis. (Cheryl Kawaja/CBC)

The city plans to erect more warning signs this year in dumping "hot spots" such as dead-end roads.It's also looking at increasing fines for illegal dumping.

Shannon Clohosey, the city's sustainability manager, says the problem isnot just pop cans and dirty diapers.

"It's everything.We find furniture.We find appliances, electronic waste.We've found barrels of oil;we've found old meat.It's the whole spectrum of materials."

Clohosey said some waste is especially damaging to the environment, and expensive to clean up such as the barrel of oil that was left near the downtown community garden last year, and spilled.

"It was a big expensive issue," Clohosey said.

"We will be looking at our waste management bylaw, and looking at options to steepen the fines.

"Some municipalities are taking this quite seriously and fines are more in the thousands of dollars."

E-waste a growing problem

The cityfirst wants to get a better handle on the problem, by collecting information about what's being dumped, and where.Clohoseysays that's where watchfulresidents can help.

"You know, we have a very active community that's out on the trails quite a bit so we'd like to take advantage of all those eyes out there and hear about where they've seen illegal dumping."

'We do find a lot of electronic waste,' said the city's manager of environmental sustainability, Shannon Clohosey. (Paul Tukker/CBC)

Clohosey also says "illegal dumping" does not just refer to piles of trash in the bush. It's also illegal to dump trash into someone else's bin or dumpster, orconcealelectronic and hazardous waste headed forthe landfill.

"We've found explosives up at the waste management facility," she said.

Electronic waste has become a particular problem, whether it's the laptop that's hidden in someone's household trash, or the growing number of computers, printers, and TVs found tossed in the bush.

Right now, Yukoners must pay a fee to dispose such items at the landfill.

The territorial government presented a plan earlier this year to introduce newrecyclingfees on electronicsat point-of-purchase, meaning it would then be free tobring those products to the dump.

But last week the plan was shelved, to allow for more consultation with business owners.

With files from Sandi Coleman