Rising fees at area transfer stations could turn neighbourhoods into hotbeds of illegal dumping, warns a city councillor who’s seen an uptick of trash in her municipality.
Metro Vancouver has upped the cost to bring smaller loads of trash to transfer stations, while making it cheaper for commercial companies. The rate structure is designed to encourage residents to consolidate loads.
Large loads exceeding nine tonnes now pay $80 per tonne, and small loads pay $130 per tonne. After factoring in a new $5 transaction fee and the 90 kilogram load of garbage that used to cost $10 now costs $17: 70 per cent more.
Langley Township Councillor Kim Richter says people are avoiding those higher fees by dumping their trash in public places, including open fields and roadways. She fears it’s going to get worse.
“The problem's only going to escalate,” she says.
Last year, Langley Township spent $400,000 cleaning up trash, including 750 illegal dump sites.
“That’s more than two a day. Sixty-three-per-cent of those pickups had to do with demolition and construction waste,” said Richter.
The problem has become so bad in other Metro Vancouver communities that surveillance cameras have been set-up to catch cheaters.
Metro Vancouver says it's watching the situation closely.
“Tipping fees is a potential factor affecting illegal dumping but we don't believe it's the most significant factor," said Paul Henderson of Metro Vancouver Solid Waste Services.
Langley is dealing with the issue by creating a taxpayer-funded illegal dumping tip line and hiring a dedicated bylaw officer.
Metro Vancouver says the average household generates about 400 kilograms of garbage per year.
