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Apartment bins easy targets for illegal dumping Continued from page 1 13 · Friday, March 19, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com While Advantage's collectors sometimes catch attempted dumping, such as a couch sticking out of the top of the bin, the collectors didn't notice the reported construction debris, said Battams. "We definitely don't like bricks," he added, explaining the material can damage the floor of the truck and also spill from the back of the truck while it's travelling. All garbage from apartments in Halton end up at a private landfill in Niagara, not the Region's landfill in Milton, said David Miles, Halton's manager of waste management planning and collection. Miles said it is unusual for the Region to receive complaints of illegal dumping in apartment waste bins, but local businesses often complain of it taking place. However, it is not common for the dumped material to be construction debris, he said. The Region's landfill charges $142 per tonne of construction material, a price that caters to DIY renovators and small contractors, said Miles. Larger contractors would find it cheaper to take their material to private transfer stations, where the tipping fee is between $50-80 a tonne, he said. Both the superintendent and owner of 80 South Forster Park Dr. said they have had problems with people dumping material into their bin at night. "We have a big problem because the bin is very close to the street," said Satnam Bhamra, who said he owns the 48-unit building with his wife. "We are thinking of putting a camera close to the bin." The Crescent Court Apartments is part of a chain of five adjacent apartment buildings constructed in the mid- to late-1960s, according to the Town of Oakville's apartment inventory. Their garbage bins are accessible via rear laneways running behind the buildings. Halton's apartment buildings, which gener- ally have from dozens to hundreds of residents, pay a municipal property tax rate about twice that of single-family residential homes and receive garbage collection at a higher frequency than individual houses, perhaps making their bins likely targets for dumping. While visiting South Forster Park Drive Monday morning, a Beaver reporter noticed two individuals in a white cube van leaving behind material outside the bin at the Oakcrest Apartments building, located on the roadway, and driving away a few minutes later. "In that building, we have experienced people dropping stuff off at that dumpster," said Jeff Hageman, whose company Fred Hageman's Holdings owns the building according to Town records, upon hearing of the dumping. "I ask the super (superintendent) to keep his eyes out like a hawk. "They (people) see an open dumpster and they think they can dump anything there," he said. The local resident who registered the complaint with the Region Sunday night alleged a Halton company was responsible for the dumping. The resident said the company has been doing it weekly for the past two years. The company's owner, however, denied any involvement in the dumping to the Beaver. Miles said it will be difficult for Halton's investigation to pinpoint a culprit because the dumped material is already in a landfill and Regional staff did not observe the dumping. However, he said staff will still speak to the company. The Region has a waste collection bylaw that sets out fines of $100-200 for dumping, but the preferred approach for a first offence is education, said Miles. "We would talk to them (the dumpers), inform them what they did was wrong and ask them not to do it again," said Miles, adding staff would advise dumpers of their options for proper disposal. Protect Your Child Oakville Kia will be hosting a FREE FINGERPRINTING SESSION Child Find Ontario will be at Oakville Kia on S t d M h 27 11 3 FREE VOLVO OIL CHANGE If you have never been to Volvo of Oakville For service NOW is the time! Enjoy a Free Oil Change when you Visit us for the very first time. See rules and details below. Bring your Volvo into Volvo of Oakville for the very first time and enjoy a free oil change. No strings, no gimics ­ just free! If you drive a Volvo and have never been to Volvo of Oakville, just drop by anytime and we'll change your oil no matter where you bought your car, or where it's serviced! One oil change per car. Some restrictions may apply. BUT HURRY ­ IT'S A LIMITED TIME OFFER! Valid from March 1st to April 17, 2010. WE'RE BIGGER, WE'RE BETTER, WE'LL PROVE IT OAKVILLE KIA S North ice Rd. erv Kerr St. QEW MON.-FRI. 9AM-9PM, SATURDAY 9AM-6PM , SUNDAY 10AM-4PM 2219 WYECROFT RD., OAKVILLE 905-847-1511 OAKVILLEKIA.COM OAKVILLE Bronte Rd. Wyecroft Rd. 3rd Line 4th Line Dorval 770 Pacific Road, Oakville Phone: (905) 825-8088 SERVICE DEPARTMENT OPEN SATURDAYS 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. VOLVO OF OAKVILLE www.volvoofoakville.com Call Volvo of Oakville for details or visit our website.