If you are new to Squamish you may not yet realize that this is bear country. It is possible that you found three totes in the carport of your new home without instructions about why two of the totes have locks and clips on them. You may even believe these locks are optional to use. However, the District of Squamish has been educating this community for over a decade about the need to keep bears safe from your waste. It is the reason that your organic and waste totes must be locked except when put out for collection.
The District of Squamish’s Wildlife Working Group creates new creative ways to keep bears from becoming waste habituated. It is not easy because the bears are very clever strategists themselves.
The 2020 innovation was to repair damaged totes as quickly as possible, and often before residents were aware that their tote had been damaged. GFL crews patrol neighbourhoods looking for broken locks, or twisted lids that allow wildlife access to that first food reward that will start them on a lifetime of waste habituation. Tote damage that is reported to squamishtotes@gflenv.com is often repaired within 24 hours of notification, allowing less access and less opportunity to the bears.
In 2021, GFL has prioritized the pickup of all organic totes first before circling back to service your waste totes. This gives bears less opportunity to access the unlocked and nutrient dense food waste totes and quickly eliminates the rich aroma that will draw bears to your neighbourhood on your collection day. According to the 2020 waste audit, 30% of your garbage waste tote is filled with material that should be in your organic tote.
To ensure local bears stay wild and safe, all residents of our community need to familiarize themselves with a few simple steps.
Step one, keep your waste totes locked except after 5 am, on collection day, when your totes are placed curbside one meter apart. Clip the clips together when totes await pick up to prevent damage by the truck.
Step two, put all organic waste into your green lidded tote to condense mess and odors, and to allow GFL to eliminate this attractant as quickly as possible.
Step three, rinse all food packaging to dampen bear interest
Step four, report tote damage at Squamishtotes@gflenv.com
Lastly, on behalf of our permanent residents the bear, we welcome you to the neighbourhood.
Rosco the Recycling Wizard is the district’s little tote educator. This is a sponsored feature
