Cameras being set up to catch illegal dumpers in the South Okanagan

“Disgusting.”

That was the description of the latest dump of household garbage overnight Saturday on Penticton Indian Band lands.

The waste, empty boxes, children’s toys and even a blue recycling bag, was discovered the next morning by band members along a section of Old Airport Road.

According to PIB communications officer Dawn Russell, the band is saying enough is enough when it comes to the escalating problem.

“We’re having a discussion internally with our administration, we’re going to put up critter cams in a number of areas. Uur natural resources department is also increasing their guardian patrols, adding more full time members so that we’ll be able to identify spots or potential trespassers and illegal dumpers prior to any incidents becoming an issue,” she said. “Along with more staff and remote cameras we are going to have community observe, record and report programs instructing the public how to make accurate observations and recordings and who to report them to.

“If you are planning to dump illegally on reserve we will record you and catch you and you will be issued a fine. So please don’t do it.”

She added that in 2018 the band removed 9,500 pounds of illegally dumped commercial and residential garbage, spending about 200 hours of addressing the issue on the nearly 50,000 acres of band land.

The PIB also falls under the federal Species at Risk Act which the band has invested a lot of work to be in compliance with.

“To see people just illegally dumping it’s disheartening to our community and to our members,” said Russell. “This protects our land we would ask the public to help the species at risk by not dumping on PIB reserve land so we can maintain our ecosystem for everybody.”

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Mark Brett | Reporter

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Penticton Western News