Deep concern has been raised about the flagrant dumping of suspected chemicals in a waterway off Sawmill Mill Road south of Oliver.
Local beekeeper and businessman Frank Barnay reported seeing several buckets of unknown material that were thrown in a riparian area near Road 6.
Barnay said the material looks like copper sulfate, which is a fungicide used for spraying purposes.
“I am very concerned. We have bees and water wells down there.”
Barnay can’t fathom why anyone would show such disregard for the environment.
“Even if it was household garbage I wouldn’t mind, but this stuff is poison.”
Barnay reported the incident to RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) and hopes the public will help identify the culprit.
Area C director Rick Knodel said he was angry that someone could be so inconsiderate. However, he doesn’t want to jump to conclusions, noting that the material could be harmless to the environment.
Knodel said the regional district has passed this off to the Ministry of Environment’s conservation office to deal with.
