The province is willing to clean up unsightly illegal dumping grounds if the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George lets them off the hook at the landfill.
Staff have been meeting with the Conservation Office, Ministry of Natural Resources and Ministry of Environment regarding illegal dumping, prevention and clean up since the introduction of the $6 small load fee at the Foothills dump.
A July letter from John Huybers with the natural resources ministry asked the regional district to "consider the impacts of increase illegal dumping on crown land as a result of this proposed fee."
These impacts include more waste at recreation sites and trails, potential long-term environment damage and the need for more compliance and enforcement work to deal with illegal activities.
The regional district has a solid waste tipping fee exemption policy and has been asked to waive the fees for site clean ups by provincial agencies without the need for advance notification.
"Where ministry staff encounter an illegal dumpsite in the performance of other duties, it may be more effective for staff to clean up material immediately, thus addressing small illegal dumpsites more effectively," said environmental protection officer Brenda Black in a letter to regional district administrator Jim Martin.
Currently, the regional district allocates $25,000 per year from the solid waste budget to waive tipping fees.
Last year, tipping fees were waived for seven tonnes of waste through city and neighbourhood clean up events, according to a report from environmental services manager Petra Wildauer.
"Additionally 19 tonnes of waste was cleaned up at RDFFG facilities through RDFFG staff," the report said.
Illegal dumping on Crown land can be reported to the Ministry of Environment under the Report All Poachers and Polluters Program, though Martin cautioned it wouldn't be practical to say they would clean up every site reported.
"I don't think this will be a solution that will see every dump site cleaned up and responded to every time but it does provide an opportunity for some sites to be cleaned up, or the worst sites to be cleaned up," he said.
During Thursday afternoon's board meeting, Prince George Coun. Dave Wilbur put forward a motion to for staff to look at adding the province as an agency eligible for the tipping fee exemption.
