The Editor,
Re. “PoCo doubles proposed trash-mixing fine” (The Tri-City News, May 11).
Port Coquitlam Coun. Dean Washington wants to double the fine from $150 to $300 for PoCo folks who do not put their trash in the right bin. This to force compliance with the zero-tolerance requirements of Multi-Material BC (MMBC).
He claims the city has spent thousands of taxpayer dollars to educate the public and still people are not getting the message.
If residents are not getting the message, perhaps it is because the message is incomprehensible. Why else would the city need a website that lets you enter “banana peel” just to confirm which bin to throw it in?
Coun. Washington should channel his contempt for the people who pay his wages into joining with the mayor and other council members and stand up to MMBC on our behalf and say “Enough.”
We do not need to be blamed or threatened with fines, or have ambassadors patrolling our neighbourhoods. We need sensible, achievable rules that are easily understood and complied with.
Peter Manning, Port Coquitlam
CITY SHOULD CHECK
The Editor,
Port Coquitlam Coun. Dean Washington says “thousands of dollars have been spent to educate the public about the new disposal rules.”
The point he is missing is that people want to recycle and dispose of their waste materials but what council has done is adopt a program that is confusing because it is a selective recycling program.
Why can’t we throw styrofoam, glass bottles, plastic grocery bags in the recycling bin? Are these not recyclable items?
Multi-Material BC refuses to accept them, labelling them contaminants and threatens to fine PoCo because it has found higher than usual levels of these contaminants, whatever that means.
Before council sends its ambassadors (garbage snoops) house to house, I would suggest it post them at the transfer station to do their own audit and report back to council.
A. Williams, Port Coquitlam
