Garbage

Unbuilders deconstruct a building on Fort Street in downtown Victoria in 2022. Crews are salvaging materials from the building as it’s torn down. Wood and other waste from construction and demolition are some of the main contributors to Hartland Landfill. (Katherine Engqvist/News Staff)

Almost half of what ends up in Greater Victoria’s landfill could’ve been diverted: CRD

Building and organic materials continue to be drivers of what ends up at the dump

 

A POV view from the ROV underwater, finding a piece of discarded ghost gear. (Courtesy of Malahat Nation)

Malahat Nation surveying discovers ‘huge amount’ of ghost gear polluting local waters

Surveys will continue using a remotely operated vehicle and sonar in the nation’s territorial waters

 

The webcam at Hartland Landfill in Saanich shows ideal traffic conditions first thing in the morning. The CRD asks residents to watch for a slow traffic time as garbage and recycling pile up in the wake of wild weather. (CRD/Screenshot)

As trash, recycling pile up, CRD says check the webcam before heading to Hartland

Saanich landfill sees an uptick in business as weather wreaks havoc on pickup services

 

A man is likely lucky to be alive after sheltering in a dumpster and ending up in a garbage truck compactor. (Black Press file photo)

Man sheltering in West Kelowna dumpster nearly crushed in garbage truck

The driver heard banging noises coming from the truck’s compactor

A man is likely lucky to be alive after sheltering in a dumpster and ending up in a garbage truck compactor. (Black Press file photo)
Tyler Weeres spends downtime crafting new programs to help make his life easier. Work such as a regional transit map of where to buy a bus ticket and emailed garbage pickup reminders for his Oak Bay community are catching some attention. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

With a nudge from Google, Greater Victoria map attracts 250-300 hits a month

Oak Bay programmer hones his skills solving real-world problems – like where to buy transit tickets

Tyler Weeres spends downtime crafting new programs to help make his life easier. Work such as a regional transit map of where to buy a bus ticket and emailed garbage pickup reminders for his Oak Bay community are catching some attention. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Ucluelet garbageman Frank Thomas Trodden took this photo of just some of the bounty he received during an appreciation day held in his honour to thank him for his hard work and positive attitude. (Photo courtesy of Frank Thomas Trodden)

B.C. small town shows its ‘Frank Appreciation’ for popular garbage collector

“Thanks Frank for doing a great job. We really do appreciate you.”

Ucluelet garbageman Frank Thomas Trodden took this photo of just some of the bounty he received during an appreciation day held in his honour to thank him for his hard work and positive attitude. (Photo courtesy of Frank Thomas Trodden)
View of a stockpile at the facility on Vye Road.

Toxic chemicals discharged from Abbotsford waste facility into fish-bearing creek

Company responsible is under contract with the City of Abbotsford

View of a stockpile at the facility on Vye Road.
Sooke Shelter staff and residents are ready to get to work. Each day for the past two years, residents head out to perform simple acts of community service such as picking up litter and tidying up areas around the community. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

Shelter residents help keep Sooke clean

Each day, residents at the Sooke Shelter Society are walking the community to pick up trash

Sooke Shelter staff and residents are ready to get to work. Each day for the past two years, residents head out to perform simple acts of community service such as picking up litter and tidying up areas around the community. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)
A trash collector making his daily rounds. Calgary-based VDQ-NRG hopes to build a plant in Sooke and take household waste and produce biofuels. (File - Black Press Media)

Sooke eyed for new $55-million biofuels plant

Calgary-based company plans to convert garbage to energy

A trash collector making his daily rounds. Calgary-based VDQ-NRG hopes to build a plant in Sooke and take household waste and produce biofuels. (File - Black Press Media)
An intact wine glass covered in barnacles was found during one of the Gorge Waterway cleanups. (Photo courtesy of Rachel O’Neill)

Volunteer-driven Gorge Waterway cleanup happens Saturday, rain or shine

Community participation helps protect habitat, maintain natural space

An intact wine glass covered in barnacles was found during one of the Gorge Waterway cleanups. (Photo courtesy of Rachel O’Neill)
Victoria residents are encouraged to trade cigarette butts for cash at a recycling buy-back program Sept. 4. (Black Press Media file photo)

Cigarette butts equal cash at upcoming Victoria cleanup event

Participants receive cash prize for every 1,000 butts collected

Victoria residents are encouraged to trade cigarette butts for cash at a recycling buy-back program Sept. 4. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke ATV Club members collected a dumpster load of garabhe, including an abandoned boat, while doing a cleanup along Anderson Road near Muir Creek on July 17. (Contributed - Sooke ATV Club)

Sooke ATV Club gives back by cleaning up

Derelict boat, household and construction waste part of cleanup effort

Sooke ATV Club members collected a dumpster load of garabhe, including an abandoned boat, while doing a cleanup along Anderson Road near Muir Creek on July 17. (Contributed - Sooke ATV Club)
Two Saanich residents who visited Mt. Douglas Park recently encountered this pile of garbage and say the large piles in this natural environment are becoming more common. (Photo courtesy of Stefan Terras)

Garbage piles at Mt. Doug in Saanich not just a result of heat-related slowdowns

Concerned residents say they see waste left behind nearly every weekend at park

Two Saanich residents who visited Mt. Douglas Park recently encountered this pile of garbage and say the large piles in this natural environment are becoming more common. (Photo courtesy of Stefan Terras)
COVID-related trash is washing up on shorelines across the world, including Coldstream’s Kal Beach, as pictured in this May 2021 photograph. (Jennifer Smith - Black Press)

Shoreline cleanup finds COVID-related trash increased during height of the pandemic

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup reports litter from single-use food packaging nearly doubled

COVID-related trash is washing up on shorelines across the world, including Coldstream’s Kal Beach, as pictured in this May 2021 photograph. (Jennifer Smith - Black Press)
A crew of WestCoast WILD Adventures employees tackled an onslaught of litter left at the ‘Locks of Love’ fence at Wally Creek on May 2. (Anne-Marie Gosselin photo)

Litter woes consume popular ‘Locks of Love’ fence on B.C.’s Pacific Rim

Popular view spot near Tofino plagued by people hanging masks and other unwanted garbage

A crew of WestCoast WILD Adventures employees tackled an onslaught of litter left at the ‘Locks of Love’ fence at Wally Creek on May 2. (Anne-Marie Gosselin photo)
A member of the Downtown Victoria Business Association Clean Team works along Fort Street. The team will be working weekends from May through September, providing seven day a week coverage. (Photo courtesy DVBA)

Downtown Victoria cleanup service expanded for spring, summer

Clean Team members to patrol sidewalks seven days a week through September

  • May 10, 2021
A member of the Downtown Victoria Business Association Clean Team works along Fort Street. The team will be working weekends from May through September, providing seven day a week coverage. (Photo courtesy DVBA)
Four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans were out at Cultus Lake on March 28 and 29 hauling trash out of the waters. (Henry Wang)

PHOTOS: Out-of-town divers remove 100s of pounds of trash from Cultus Lake

Members of Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out 470 pounds of trash over two days

Four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans were out at Cultus Lake on March 28 and 29 hauling trash out of the waters. (Henry Wang)
The Regional District of Nanaimo’s board is forwarding a motion on illegal dumping to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities’ upcoming annual general meeting. (Kane Blake photo)

Island communities asked to join forces in seeking help fighting illegal dumping

RDN resolution to be forwarded to Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities

The Regional District of Nanaimo’s board is forwarding a motion on illegal dumping to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities’ upcoming annual general meeting. (Kane Blake photo)
The Regional District of Nanaimo collected approximately 10,000 old waste and garbage bins to be repurposed or reused. (PQB News file photo)

10,000 old Nanaimo-area garbage bins repurposed elsewhere on the Island

Used containers donated to school districts, communities to be reused

The Regional District of Nanaimo collected approximately 10,000 old waste and garbage bins to be repurposed or reused. (PQB News file photo)
David Boudinot has been going on daily litter-picking walks through his neighbourhood of Fernwood since June. (David Boudinot/Twitter)

Fernwood ‘litter picker’ collects over 300 litres in under a month

David Boudinot collects two to four pailfuls each morning

David Boudinot has been going on daily litter-picking walks through his neighbourhood of Fernwood since June. (David Boudinot/Twitter)
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