COBB'S ARM, N.L. — Illegal dumping continues to be a major problem across the province, but Edward Evans hopes a new pilot project will curb the issue in central.
Evans, chief administrative officer with Central Newfoundland Waste Management, says their new project will identify hot spots across central where illegal dumping is most recurrent.
“We’re looking for the areas that people use for dumping on a regular basis and do great impairment to our environment,” said Evans. “We don’t want to disclose which areas those are until we have finished investigating, setting up our surveillance operations and make some charges.”
The project is now in its second week, and CNWM has hired an environmental protection officer who will devote their time solely to the project. Evans says they have currently acquired cameras that can broadcast footage from phones and laptops. CNWM is also making continual contact with communities where illegal dumping is of most serious concern.
A dumpsite was recently uncovered just outside of the local service district of Cobb’s Arm.
Extensive amounts of garbage were dumped at the location, including an armchair, rubber boats, bottles, metal piping, bags and tubs of garbage and even a toilet.
Birchy Bay Mayor Ewen Quinlan says there has been a long-standing dumping issue in his town, particularly on the Birchy Bay Resource Road. The extensive gravel road is home to many cabins and woodland, and through the years has been an ideal spot for the illegal dumping of furniture, appliances and other garbage.
“The resource road is a quick place people can get to by ATV or pick-up truck,” said Quinlan. “We have talked about getting cameras with the [Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment], and they have given us signs to warn against dumping.
“But the people that dump this stuff, I don’t think signs are going to stop them.”
The nearest landfill facility for the residents of Birchy Bay is the landfill site on New World Island, near Boyd’s Cove.
“But the people that dump this stuff, I don’t think signs are going to stop them.”
-Birchy Bay Mayor Ewen Quinlan
According to the mayor, one of the main reasons dumping has become an issue in the area is that Birchy Bay lost its own local dumpsite several years ago, after CNWM opened their site on New World Island.
“When the Central Waste Management landfill opened they closed down all the community dumps,” he said. “We had one between Birchy Bay and Baytona, and I think a lot of this is rebellion to the fact that they closed our dumps.”
Some residents however haven taken matters into their own hands. Darlene Bradley often walks the secluded trails and beaches of Ragged Point on Twillingate Island. She says the spot is often used for dumping garbage and even moose hides during the autumn hunting season.
After the trails became scattered with bullet shells from people who use Ragged Point for shooting practice, she decided to clean up after the area herself.
“It leaves behind all those plastic shells with metal on the bottom. It’s upsetting to see the mentality continue, what you take in there you should take out,” said Bradley. “I see it a lot from my house as well, someone drives up the hill with something in back of their truck, and when they come back down it’s not there anymore.”
As their pilot project continues to investigate illegal dumping around central, Evans urges residents to reach out to CNWM so they can investigate these incidents once they’re uncovered.
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