GLACE BAY, N.S. — Dylan Yates is infuriated.
The president of the Cape Breton Environment Association is angry that people would leave bags of garbage around the Diabetes Canada clothing donation bins in Glace Bay.
As he was driving by the Canadian Tire on April 29, Yates saw the garbage and stopped to see what exactly was in the bags. Many were full of garbage, but the bags that were full of donations were now also garbage because the items were ruined by the rain and snow.
“As soon as I saw it, I had to stop. I couldn’t believe it, just the amount of garbage piled up, it was unbelievable that someone would do that," he said.
“It’s heartbreaking to see and it’s disgusting behaviour, in my opinion, to just leave garbage and household trash there like that.”
Yates reported the dumpsite to the municipality and says an investigation is taking place.
“This is illegal dumping,” he said. “No matter if you dump your garbage in the woods or in a donation bin, it’s still illegal dumping and you can be charged.”
But Yates wasn’t only upset at the amount of garbage piled up and falling out of the donation bins. The fact people dumped their trash and put donations outside of the full bins, while charities like Diabetes Canada have said they are currently not operating in accordance with COVID-19 protocols, is also boiling his blood.
“I’ve heard this isn’t just happening here, it’s happening all over the place,” he said. “People need to learn a charity’s donation bin isn’t their own personal dumpster.”
Yates isn’t the only one upset by the illegal dumping at the donation bin.
Donald Campbell was also appalled by the sight while driving by during a garbage run for his company, That’s Right Roofing, on April 30. Like Yates, Campbell stopped.
“(I saw the) pictures online. We have a garbage pickup we do at Nappa in Glace Bay and while we were there, one of my employees said there’s the bins from Facebook. I was like, wow. That’s unreal. Even worse in person,” Campbell said.
“The three of us looked at the dump trailer, which was half empty, looked at the donation bins and I asked them if they wanted to clean it up. It only took us 20 minutes. It wasn’t even a question of whether to do it or not. We just did it and hopefully leading by example it will help others.”
Later the same day, Yates drove by the Glace Bay location and the bins had been completely removed. The donation bins that were located in the parking lot of the Needs and Tim Hortons in Sydney Forks have also been removed.
"The CBRM didn’t move the bins. It would have been the owners," said Cape Breton Regional Municipality spokesperson Christina Lamey.
How to dispose of garbage:
- Curbside: weekly pickup; recycling biweekly
- Solid Waste Management Facility: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday.
- To report illegal dumping call: 902-567-1337
The Cape Breton Post reached out to Diabetes Canada for comment but received no response by press time.
If and when the bins return, Yates hopes people will think twice before dumping trash anywhere but the dump or the curb for weekly pickup.
“It’s not that people don’t understand these things. They know these bins aren’t there for them to dump trash inside,” he said.
“(And for donations) it’s common sense — if the bins are full, take your donations home or bring them to another bin. Leaving them outside just makes them mouldy and then they end up in a landfill.