City of Edmonton waste collectors are dealing with a tough combination this year: waste and wasps.
The weather this summer led to a surge in the wasp population in the Edmonton area, leading to several waste collectors already being stung.
That’s a concern for the city, especially for those collectors who have life-threatening allergic reactions to wasp stings.
WATCH BELOW: Edmontonians love to get outside in the summer but there’s been an uninvited guest to many backyard barbecues and picnics. At the end of July, Quinn Ohler filed this report on the number of wasps people are seeing in the city this summer.
The city is asking residents to help prevent stings by taking the following steps:
- Clean empty wine, juice and pop containers and seal them in bags, as wasps are attracted to sugar and alcohol.
- Pick up and dispose of all apples and overripe fruit from lawns.
- Ensure garbage and recycling bags are tied up and cans are covered with lids.
- Keep it light, each bag or filled can should be lighter than 20 kilograms or 44 pounds
- Keep waste storage area tidy and remove wasp nests as soon as they are discovered.
- Use wasp traps to keep wasps away from waste collection areas.
Residents who have a compost pile are asked to keep it wet, turn it regularly and to cover waste such as fresh fruits and vegetables with dry leaves or soil.
As the weather turns colder, wasps will get more aggressive as their food sources diminish.