Illegal dumping is dangerous and costly, and Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW) has a plan to do something about it.
The local Crime Stoppers unit unveiled an awareness campaign targeting illegal dumping in Guelph and Wellington County on April 20.
The program launch was held in a green space just off Silvercreek Parkway South in Guelph, long a favorite spot for illegal dumping.
Posters and post cards, depicting trash in a woodland area, will soon be distributed throughout the region to help increase awareness on the dangers – and costs – of this common problem.
CSGW will also dedicate its social media platforms to illegal dumping awareness.
“It’s not a case of this being unsightly; it’s criminal,” said CSGW program coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter. “There is a danger to these items being disposed in this manner, along with a cost to the public when our municipalities have to clean it up.”
Bowers-Peters said the initiative targets dumping of a wide range of material.
“The garbage that we’re looking at is anything from commercial waste such as shingles, tires, chemicals and building materials, to household wastes such as fridges, couches stoves, vehicles … to items that are tied into criminal activity,” she said.
“(If) someone’s trying to dispose of something that’s been used in criminal acts, that’s something that we obviously don’t want the public coming in contact with.”
CSGW has localized a provincial initiative by creating awareness materials that indicate how the public can call the toll-free number of 1-800-222-TIPS or electronically via www.csgw.tips to provide anonymous information about those responsible for dumping garbage on private or public property.
Wellington County OPP receives tip information from CSGW on cases within the county, while City of Guelph bylaw enforcement handles tips received on incidents within city limits. A new partnership with CSGW allows bylaw enforcement to investigate tips provided to the program.
Bowers-Peter said training will be provided to bylaw officers to “help their staff to ensure they’re handling the tips appropriately as per our protocol.”
The posters and post cards were designed and produced in partnership with Wellington County and the City of Guelph and will be on display to remind the public that they can take a role in reporting and preventing crime in their community.
Wellington County councillor Don McKay, who helped spearhead the initiative, said illegal dumping is “quite a blight on our landscape; and it’s not only in the city, but also in the county.
“Why they do this I cannot understand. When we look at Wellington County we charge $2 a bag to either go to our transfer or landfill site or to have it picked up and yet people will come out and throw their garbage in the ditches,” said McKay, adding he would like to see violators “prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Guelph councillor June Hofland said she often walks the area where the launch was held with a shopping bag to collect waste.
Guelph Police Service Chief Jeff DeRuyter expressed concern for the safety of members of the public who come upon dump sites. Guelph bylaw compliance, security and licensing manager David Wiedrick stated the issue is a costly one for the city, with 670 calls for illegal dumping in 2016, and already 293 calls in 2017.
Wellington County OPP Inspector Scott Lawson noted the timeliness of the initiative.
“As responders to illegal dumping calls, our front-line members have seen first-hand the damage this causes to the environment, and wildlife, not to mention the risk to the public,” said Lawson. “We are pleased to see CSGW tackle this issue and look forward to following up on these tips.”
Bowers-Peters pointed out CSGW is not a police organization, but a not-for-profit charity that takes anonymous information about crime from the public. If a tip results in an arrest, the tip provider could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.
For more information on how to report crime anonymously, go to www.csgw.tips.
