Sixty volunteers collected approximately 6.73 tonnes of illegally dumped trash at 31 sites between Halfmoon Bay and Roberts Creek.
The eighth annual Backroad Trash Bash was organized by the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and took place on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Among the refuse collected was wood waste, roofing materials, electronics, furniture, appliances, metal and household garbage.
“We are thrilled with the excellent turnout and community spirit at this year’s event and are grateful for everyone’s hard work cleaning up the illegal dump sites,” said Robyn Cooper, SCRD’s solid waste programs manager in a release. “Illegal dumping is unacceptable and the SCRD is working with local agencies and other regional districts to address this problem.”
This was the second highest volunteer turnout since its inception in 2012, second to 2017 when 82 people contributed, lugging nearly eight tonnes of trash from illegal dumps. The most tonnage collected was in 2013, when volunteers collected nine tonnes of waste.
Individual volunteers and members of the Sunshine Coast ATV Club, Sunshine Coast Off-Road Club, and staff from Airspan Helicopters, AJM Disposal, BC Parks, BC Natural Resources Office, BC Conservation Service, London Drugs, Salish Soils and the SCRD chipped in, according to an SCRD release, while a barbecue lunch was provided by the Sunshine Coast Lions Club.
Next year’s trash bash will cover areas between Elphinsotne and Port Mellon.
Illegal dumping can be reported to the Conservation Officer Service Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1.877.952.7277 or online www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/rapp/form.htm.
The SCRD also runs a Good Samaritan program, which covers landfill tipping fees for garbage collected and disposed of from illegal dumpsites. For information on how to clean up an illegal dumpsite year-round in the region, visit www.scrd.ca/illegaldumping
Visit www.scrd.ca/trashbash for more information on the annual trash bash event.
