Dave Pownall can think of plenty of words to describe people who illegally dump their junk outside his business.
“Lazy, stupid, ignorant people,” he said.
But another word is sticking in the Township of Langley – IDIOT.
“The word is actually an acronym and the acronym stands for ‘Illegal Dumper In Our Township,'” Langley Township waste manager Ryan Schmidt said.
READ MORE: Vancouver doubling down on reducing illegal dumping
From old linoleum being left in a pile to bags of drywall tossed by the roadside, township officials say they have seen a spike in items being dumped illegally.
“Illegal dumping and littering in the township have grown into significant problems, which are unsightly, untidy, unhealthy for the environment and create a safety hazard,” Schmidt said.
People who are caught dumping illegally can face a fine upwards of $500, a penalty that could be considered reasonable considering trash pick-up costs the township around $400,000 a year.
The township is also changing its bylaw to allow crews to look through abandoned trash in the hopes of identifying the culprit.
They are also asking residents who find illegally dumped waste or witness illegal dumping to call their hotline at 1-844-SEE-DUMP (733-3867) or visit tol.ca/illegaldumping.
– With files from John Hua
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