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Okanagan Forest Task Force removes 37,000 pounds of material from backcountry

The Okanagan Forest Task Force said it removed over 37,000 pounds of garbage and scrap metal from Postill Lake Road on Saturday. Okanagan Forest Task Force

A local non-profit organization said it has removed 8,330 pounds of garbage and 29,100 pounds of metal from an Okanagan backcountry road.

Kane Blake, founder of the Okanagan Forest Task Force, said 10 old, burnt up vehicles were removed from Postill Lake Road on Saturday, along with thousands of pounds of other garbage material.

READ MORE: Okanagan illegal dump sites growing, task force blames COVID-19, landfill lineups, lazy people

Blake says some of the vehicles removed had been there for more a couple years.

“Why people continue to think it’s OK to dump their garbage in the bush is beyond me,” said Blake.

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“This might be our biggest year yet, with all the garbage along many back roads.”

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READ MORE: Swearing or yelling at landfill staff could cost you $100, says North Okanagan regional district

Blake says the task force teamed up with O.T.B. 4×4 Unoffendable, GFL Environmental, K-Town Customs, ABC Recycling, Sunbelt Rentals and the Regional District of Central Okanagan to get the clean-up done.

Blake said the volunteer turnout was a huge help and a big reason why the cleanup was so successful.

“People kept coming and going; I would say about 50 people were helping,” said Blake.

READ MORE: Community garden planted at Kelowna street corner to help Central Okanagan families in need

Since the creation of the Okanagan Forest Task Force in 2016, the group has removed over 230,000 pounds of illegally dumped garbage in the Okanagan backcountry, according to the non-profit.

The force is planning another cleanup, in a different backcountry area and it says to keep an eye on their Facebook page if you would like to help.

Click to play video: 'Fire hazard near West Kelowna cleaned up by Tolko'
Fire hazard near West Kelowna cleaned up by Tolko

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