A line up of cars at the Salmon Arm Landfill. (CSRD photo)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

LANDFILL FRUSTRATIONS

Columbia Shuswap Regional District asking residents to cease poor behaviour at landfill sites

Apr 22, 2020 | 9:47 AM

SALMONA ARM — After numerous complaints from staff, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District is asking residents using the landfills to respect staff, and safety regulations.

In a release, the district says residents are still able to use landfills and transfer stations for disposal during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, ‘treating workers at these sites like garbage is not going to be tolerated.’

CSRD says physical distancing regulations need to be respected, and because of these new procedures, there are longer wait times at the sites.

The district says recently staff at the landfills and transfer stations have reported residents who have deliberately ignored directions to physical distance, allowed their kids to run freely through the site, spent time socializing with others, and not followed directions about where to move their vehicles.

Workers say there has also been an increase in ‘rude and abusive behaviour’ directed to staff members on site.

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“We are asking residents to plan ahead for longer waits at all our facilities. If you are in a rush, wait until another time,” says Ben Van Nostrand, Team Leader of Environmental Health Services. “The reason these sites can stay open is through the efforts of our essential workers. They are doing their best to deal with the challenges posed by COVID-19. What we need is for people to be patient and be kind.”

The district notes that garbage disposal is deemed an essential service, however Van Nostrand says recycling and yard waste disposal are not required. With that, the district says if the public continues with the poor behaviour, it may consider reducing those non-essential services to comply with COVID-19 safety regulations.