Battling dumping is an exercise in frustration

It is really too bad the two most important contacts I can use don’t think illegal dumping is important enough to do anything about. It is no wonder all these people who think they are above anyone else keep dumping. I still have not heard a thing from the police since my call went out Monday. The newspaper may think coffee grinds are not as important as dumping a couch, but there is right or wrong. But why should you care? Since we talked there has been two more dumpings, but it’s OK as long as it is not in your backyard.

— Marcie Carveth, reader

I understand your frustration. I share it. I’ve been writing this story for 18 years

It’s always the same: Dumpers dump, citizens complain, authorities do nothing.

I don’t publish these stories every time they are brought to my attention because it sometimes feels like reporting that it rains in November, or that Christmas is coming.

It is important and it does affect nearly everyone in our community. I still believe it’s news, but when the situation simply repeats itself on an almost daily basis, I have to question that conclusion.

It makes our organization angry when we see the atrocious messes these brain-dead, lazy, inconsiderate morons leave behind. We’ve talked to enough RCMP officers, CVRD officials and politicians to know it makes them angry too. Like us, they live here. We all see what you’ve seen. It does happen in our backyards.

Unfortunately, none of us know what to do to fix the problem.

I publish the story about once a year in order to remind people the situation hasn’t changed. I published it in the summer. I will publish this today.

And I hope this time it will inspire someone to come forth with a solution that will finally address the problem.

But I am not holding my breath.

— John McKinley, editor

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