| Region-wide strategy to tackle illegal dumping | Region-wide strategy to tackle illegal dumping | <div class="ExternalClass5B808564FDA54D4190E47FABE18E3D53"><p>Metro Vancouver recently approved a strategy to help member municipalities combat illegal dumping, a problem that is not only unsightly, but also costs about 2.5 million dollars per year to clean up. The target items are things like sofas and mattresses, but also debris left near dumpsters, or dropped en route from unsecure waste loads travelling to the transfer stations. </p><p>The strategy includes both education and enforcement, to motivate individuals to not abandon waste in public places. The actions in the strategy were developed in consultation with member municipalities, and by researching effective programs across Canada and the United States. Actions include:</p><ul><li>Develop a public education and awareness program, with communication materials that can be shared with and used by member municipalities. </li><li>Enforce proper covering and securing of vehicle loads entering transfer stations to reduce contents spilling onto the roadway, and the associated cleanup costs and danger to motorists/pedestrians.</li><li>Develop requirements for waiving tipping fees at transfer stations for garbage from volunteer community clean-up events on public property (e.g. Adopt-a-Block, Streamkeeepers).</li></ul><p>In addition, member municipalities are introducing steeper fines, increasing enforcement efforts, and providing educational programs and enhanced large item pick-up and community clean-up programs. </p><p>You may have seen some articles in the news recently on this topic, from the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/illegal-dumping-vancouver-1.3484307" target="_blank">CBC</a> and <a href="http://www.langleytimes.com/news/372153301.html" target="_blank">Langley Times</a>. Metro Vancouver and member municipalities want to reinforce that everyone is responsible and accountable for the waste they generate.</p></div> | http://www.metrovancouver.org/metroupdate/PublishingImages/issue22-illegaldumping.jpg | 2016-06-24T07:00:00Z | GP0|#4e0fb244-0168-4597-97b2-4c6aa54f3154;L0|#04e0fb244-0168-4597-97b2-4c6aa54f3154|Issue 22;GTSet|#d14ffe11-45dc-48fb-8684-ff109cf15a74 | <div class="ExternalClassA1B9D5CA51F640E1A5D86D971781C2C8"><p>Illegal dumping is a problem that is not only unsightly, but also costs about 2.5 million dollars per year to clean up. A new strategy, developed with member municipalities, targets abandoned waste, and debris left behind from dumpsters, or falling from loads en route to the transfer station. </p></div> | 0 | |
