BURIN, NL – A number of discarded items in an area used by the Department of Transportation and Works were discovered after the Town of Burin received a complaint from a resident regarding illegal dumping of waste near Port Au Bras.
Coun. Everett Farwell and town manager Leo Hartson visited the site and found four bags of moose parts and a large variety of fruit, Hartson said during a regular meeting of council Nov. 14.
“I spoke to a resident that admitted (he) was responsible for the fruit, and he stated that he would have it cleaned up.”
Hartson added the same resident said he did not know who was responsible for the bags of moose parts found in the area.
Preventative measures
Farwell explained to council that the resident who raised the concern had also inquired if something could be done to help prevent further dumping in the area.
“The person who contacted me in the first place…asked me if I would check with council to see if we could get Works, Services and Transportation to put rock or some other type of barrier there that could be removed when they wanted to us it,” he said.
He added no matter what was dumped in the area and eventually removed, unless access to the area is limited they could be faced with a similar issue in the future.
He asked council if any contact had been made with the department identifying council’s concerns.
“This is a possible cause (an increase of) rodents in the area, which could be no good to nobody, and possible diseases,” said Farwell. “I went down over the bank and looked at the garbage bag and it was teeming with maggots so that’s a possible health hazard.”
He said along with a sign advising residents not to dump items in the area, more needs to be done.
“We need to have a barrier erected because people are not observing the sign.”
Troy Hollett, director of public works for the town, advised he had spoken to someone with the department to make council’s concerns known and to suggest placing boulders in the area to restrict access.
Hollett said he will follow up on the request with shift supervisor Darrell Bonnell.
“You’ll probable see some action this week.”
