BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in the Sudbury area has declared all-out war on illegal garbage dumpers.
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�We have people travelling through here from all over the world saying this is a nice place, and then we have our own people destroying it. All it takes is one person to start doing it, then others follow...�says Steven Massé, MNR supervisor. more photos>> |
Disgusted and determined conservation officers are on the hunt for people dumping refuse in bush areas surrounding the city.
Just north of Whitefish, Steven Massé, acting enforcement supervisor and conservation officer, guides his truck up a rocky, steep slope leading into the wilderness.
It doesnÂ?t take long for a frown to erupt across his face as the green beauty of the land turns into a garbage-scarred wasteland.
�I took an oath to protect this land,� said Massé. �It makes me feel ashamed there are people dumping their garbage in the bush. I just don�t understand it.
Â?The majority of the people out there have respect for the land, but these people donÂ?t. Some people donÂ?t care what happens to their natural resources, but I do.Â?
The MNR is turning up the heat on people illegally dumping trash on Crown and private land.
�This problem is only getting worse,� said Massé. �In the last couple of years, it has really become bad. That�s why we need to get the message out and appeal to the public for assistance to help us catch these people. We need to stop this problem.�
Drive down any old access road near civilization, and there will be garbage on it.
Â?WeÂ?ve always enforced this, but now weÂ?re stepping it up because the problem is only getting bigger. If we find evidence, we will prosecute.Â?
People prosecuted for trashing land face fines ranging from $100 to $10,000, and could be forced to clean up their mess.
Massé implores people to contact the MNR if they see people illegally dumping or going out in a truck with garbage at night.
�Get the licence plate number,� said Massé. �That�s the most identifiable feature of any vehicle. We also want people to report these dumps if they come across them because there�s a chance we might not know about it.�
The garbage in the forests around the city would be enough to make one think the area is actually one big dump with hundreds of scattered pockets of rubbish everywhere.
And the debris is plentiful and varied.
Everything from couches to household appliances to shingles and other construction materials to common garbage are littered throughout the land.
There�s even hazardous waste such as paint cans and brushes. �We have people travelling through here from all over the world saying this is a nice place, and then we have our own people destroying it,� said Massé. �All it takes is one person to start doing it, then others follow, and then it just gets to be an even bigger problem.�
Junk kids� toys really gets under the skin of Massé.
�You have people showing their kids it�s allright to throw out their garbage in the bush,� said Massé. �That�s the wrong message to send kids. They are our future.�
Illegal dumpers, who might think theyÂ?re saving a few bucks by dumping their waste on crown lands, still pay.
�In the end, every tax payer foots the bill for the clean up of these dumps,� said Massé. �It costs thousands of dollars to clean up. We have to bring in heavy equipment to get the garbage out.�
The MNRÂ?s aggressive mandate is working.
In the last month, they have had two successful prosecutions.
�It�s a small dent, but we�ve only really started the increased enforcement,� said Massé. �There will be more.�
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