Lyonel Doherty

Times-Chronicle

Anger and apathy appear to be the driving force behind illegal dumping in the regional district, according to officials.

Solid waste management coordinator Cameron Baughen and Area C director Rick Knodel are disturbed by the amount of illegal dumping that has taken place during the past year.

Baughen is still working on compiling statistics for 2020, but he knows there have been a number of sites where staff have collected tons of dumped materials.

“Illegal dumping is a problem across the RDOS. When we catch people, it is often angry men, and they are angry for lots of reasons.”

Baughen listed the reasons:

“My tenant left town and I won’t pay a cent more.”

“Your hours at the landfill suck. I want to be able to come in at midnight.”

“You guys track us at the landfill and I hate the government.”

“I didn’t think I would get caught.”

Baughen said much of what is illegally dumped is recycling or yard waste, which doesn’t cost anything to dispose of properly.

“Often the fee for the load would have been less than $20. There is no logic to illegal dumping, just entitlement.”

Knodel said a local resident sent him photographs of a recent dump site on the old Kennedy property near McIntyre Dam. The site included a couple of mattresses, a recliner, a couch, lawn furniture, plastic bins, a dresser, a large piece of foam, and a bucket with a “danger” warning on the side.

Dear Park Estates resident Don Smithyman reported the incident to the authorities and tried to determine who dumped the material, but he couldn’t find any evidence.

Knodel said illegal dumping has always been “deplorable” in the rural area.

“Household is bad enough but the more serious issue to me is the dumping of chemical and unknown waste materials and that seems to be on the rise.”

The director said illegal dumping is also occurring on private properties.

“Looking at the pictures (of the latest site), I don’t think poverty was the cause in this case, just apathy and lazy.”

As for cleanup, Knodel said it’s up to the regional district under the illegal dumping bylaw, but the “budget is small and eaten up quickly.”

Baughen said staff can assist anyone or any group in cleaning up a dump site.

“We can work with them on a fee waiver at the landfill. We can also supply signs that help people think twice about dumping.”

People are encouraged to take photographs of illegal dump sites, while recording the date, time and description of the waste.

A dump site can be reported to RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) by calling 1-877-952-7277.

Those found responsible for illegal dumping can face stiff fines.