Due to ongoing and chronic vandalism at the site, the Pugwash Transfer Station on the Irishtown Road will be closed until further notice.
The site has been open on Tuesdays and Saturdays to receive construction and demolition (C&D) waste as well as brush, scrap metal and white goods. As well, for the past couple of years, an organics bin had been placed just outside the gate at the site to receive compostable materials seven days per week as a supplement to the bi-weekly curbside collection as part of the municipality’s residential solid waste collection program.
The organics dumpster has been inundated with unsorted residual solid waste. This is clearly not the purpose for which the supplementary service was established. As well, there has been an increasing amount of illegal dumping of unsorted residual garbage around the area of the dumpster and the gate to the facility.
Since late June of this year, there has been continuous vandalism at the site involving cutting the lock, chain and even the gate itself. There have been 22 separate incidents between June 27 and this past Sunday. In December alone the lock has been cut and the site illegally accessed on December 1, 5, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 17. This vandalism and property damage has been reported to the RCMP.
Municipal staff have brought this issue to the attention of the public on at least a couple occasions and believe that it is well known in the surrounding area. Municipal staff have asked for the cooperation of area residents and users of the facility in complying with the regulations at the site and to report any knowledge of the individuals committing the property damage to the RCMP and/or the municipality.
The Pugwash transfer station is being closed until further notice due to ongoing and chronic vandalism. File
Clearly, the municipality must re-think the set up of the facility. Many have suggested the use of video surveillance as a deterrent to illegal activity. While such surveillance will have to be part of the solution it is, in and of itself, not the whole solution as behaviours must change. Measures will have to be put in place to encourage and monitor more appropriate behavior.
CAO Greg Herrett said, “It’s clear that most users of the facility value the service and are using it respectfully and as it was intended. However, it’s also clear that a few apparently regard this property as their own to come and go on as they please whether it’s locked or not, taking what they wish and dumping what they wish. Seven separate incidents to date in December alone is simply disheartening and has led us to a breaking point. We understand that this will be inconvenient, but dealing with the chronic and unrelenting vandalism has become unsustainable.”
The facility has been closed until further notice while the municipality considers options for a sustainable operation. All metals, white goods and C& D materials are being removed from the site. The organics bin is also being removed. Barriers and signage will be erected and the area will be closed to the public.
The public is advised that C & D, metals and white goods may be taken to the Cumberland Central Landfill in Little Forks and that tipping fees may apply.