Plastic bags, paper, lids, and other waste litter the ground and cling to the trees along a road to a quarry near Yellowknife’s dump.
Yellowknife residents reporting the mess to Cabin Radio shared photos showing garbage extending metres from the road. They wanted to know who’s monitoring illegal dumping in the city and who’s responsible for cleaning it up.
“The City of Yellowknife is aware of the possibility of illegal dumping and is particularly vigilant during spring,” a spokesperson for the municipality told Cabin Radio by email.
“Municipal enforcement officers investigate reports concerning illegal dumping and encourage residents to report incidents if and when they occur.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
According to the city, the level of litter this year isn’t out of the ordinary. The spokesperson said reports of illegal dumping in 2021 are “consistent” with previous years.
The city’s dump has been open to the public since May 2020, following a two-month closure at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The dump’s hours were reduced earlier this month in a bid to limit the spread of Covid-19 during the outbreak connected to the city’s NJ Macpherson School.
To help tackle the litter problem, the city said it hosts an annual spring cleanup where community organizations and volunteers collect garbage after the spring thaw. This year’s city-wide spring cleanup is taking place this week.
This year’s spring amnesty days, when the city waives residential tipping fees at the dump, will take place from May 28 to 30.
The city said it has an adopt-a-street program that encourages residents or businesses to adopt a road, street, or park and keep that area clean.
