Bylaw Bulletin: Littering

With every spring, there is a noticeable amount of litter in our ditches after the snow melts and we see what has been hidden over the winter. The County is always appreciative of the community groups who participate in the Highway Clean-up to help keep our roadways looking clean.

However, now that we are fully into spring weather, the County is seeing an increase in household garbage, construction debris, and yard waste being dumped along rural roads and in ditches. This creates problems for landowners and County crews, including blocked access, mowing delays, weed spread, and impacts the appearance of our rural areas. To help mitigate these problems, the County has a Littering Bylaw.

What counts as littering?

Litter is any item defined as waste that has been disposed of improperly. Section 3 of the Littering Bylaw states that no person shall dispose of waste in a manner not approved by the County of St. Paul or sanctioned under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. Throwing, dumping, dropping, and randomly placing waste on public lands, highways, or other properties is all littering.

Section 3 also lists the approved disposal methods which include: in a proper collection container (e.g. garbage bins and burn barrels); through a waste disposal system established by the County (e.g. bin sites); and at a waste management facility (e.g. County, Town, and Evergreen transfer stations).

Programs and ideas for proper waste disposal.

The County works diligently to ensure residents can dispose of their waste easily and properly through our Waste Management services. In addition to these, there are other methods residents can take to manage their waste and reduce litter throughout the County.

• Plan around the County Transfer Station hours. All six County transfer stations are open on Tuesdays and Saturdays (Ashmont is also open on Sundays), where most items are accepted at no charge. From May to October, Transfer Stations operate in Summer Hours. Our Waste Management webpage lists all hours and locations, including those of the Town of St. Paul, Town of Elk Point, and Evergreen stations.
• Locate the closest bin site to you. The County has more than 30 community bin sites, located throughout the County. If you have household waste but don’t want to go to a transfer station, there’s likely a bin site closer to your residence where you can deposit waste. Our transfer station list also includes a list of the bin sites.
• Take advantage of Spring Clean-up. This is an annual program held for the month of May to dispose of Freon appliances – fridges, freezers, air conditioners, etc. – and have the $20 fee waived. As one of the few items with associated fees at our Transfer Stations, bring them in at a time when there’s no cost to you.
• Drop off items for reuse at our Take It or Leave It sites. If you have an item you don’t want but it’s still in good condition, consider bringing it to a Take It or Leave It site. These are found at all County Transfer Stations and there’s no charge to bring your items there. Who knows, you may also find something there that you need! Check to see what items are not accepted on our Waste Management webpage.
• Burn waste in a burn barrel. This option requires a fire permit and is dependent on any fire advisories at the time. Residents with burn barrels must have a spark-arresting screen in place. Plan ahead, as permit applications can take up to 2 business days to approve.
• Consider backyard composting. This is ideal for the grass clippings and leaves collected in our spring and fall clean-ups.

Help keep our roadsides and fields clean

By planning ahead, waste can be properly disposed and litter heavily reduced throughout the County. There are many options available for residents, and no residents should allow litter to take place – whether it’s by their own actions or the actions of others.

If you notice large amounts of litter or see an individual littering, please pick up or print out our Bylaw Complaint Form. Completed forms can be brought in person, mailed to, or put in the drop box at the County Administration Office at 5015 49 Avenue, St. Paul AB, T0A 3A4.

Bylaw Bulletin is a monthly feature for one of the County’s bylaws, helping residents to understand the bylaws we do have and how to avoid being penalized for any bylaw offences unknowingly.