(submitted photo/Robert Benn)

By Tiffany Goodwein

‘Continuous degradation:’ Littering in coulees sparks concern from resident

Mar 22, 2021 | 6:11 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- Putting on his gloves and rolling out his trash bag, a Medicine Hat man is taking matters into his own hands while raising concerns about littering in the coulees.

Robert Benn has walked his dog along the coulee near Crestwood Drive for decades, but lately, he said, it’s been the worst he has ever experienced.

“If you draw a line between here and Saratoga park down below you can see in the bushes all sorts of garbage that comes from domestic. Packages that people had their Xbox in, pieces of Styrofoam that were wrapping something. All of those things the wind carries, and in the prairies here, nothing stops it except the sage brushes or the bushes on the side of the coulee, he said.

(submitted photo/Robert Benn)

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From personal information, to plastic, to loaves of rotten bread, Benn said he has picked up all sorts of items during his daily walks in the coulees. He recently filled two large garbage bags full of trash.

His biggest worry is the impact of the trash on the environment, and the water system.

“ It is continuous degradation of the natural area which we are supposedly supposed to be looking after as a city,” Benn said.

He claims the copious amount of trash is due to the wind picking up garbage from open garbage bins from adjacent apartments , specifically one operated by the Medicine Hat Housing Society.

“I noticed it on very windy days blowing right out of the big garbage can and so I called asked them to pick it up and they ignored me, and so I called bylaw and talked about it, and there wasn’t any action on that,” he said.

(submitted photo/ Robert Benn)

The housing society called the allegations unfair and unfounded.

“ Whether it is trash that is coming directly from the properties the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society manages or not remains to be seen. I think that it is something that is important to note and there are a lot of properties along that roadway that could be contributing to that,” said Robin Miller, Chief Administrative Officer with the Medicine Hat Housing Society.

Conversations have occurred with tenants, according to Miller, and the trash at the complex gets picked up once a week.

(submitted photo/Robert Benn)

The issue of littering, according to city bylaw is one that occurs in all areas of the city. For enforcement, the bylaw department said they take an education first stance.

“The obvious goal is to keep the city beautiful and clean, and try to work with people the best we can. Education is most important because if people are properly educated then that resolves the issue before it begins,” said Colin Heyens, acting supervisor of bylaw for the City of Medicine Hat,

If education does not work, fines range from $100 to $500 under the city’s waste bylaw. A $115 fine also applies under the Environmental Enhancement Protection Act.

Heyens added Bylaw has responded to Benn’s complaint, and conversations have occurred with neighboring residents.

In a statement, the City of Medicine Hat offered these tips to prevent waste bins from spewing litter, when windy conditions are present.

· Consider not setting your carts out and instead, wait for next collection day when the wind has (hopefully) subsided.

· If you choose to set your carts out, try setting out first thing in the morning before 7 a.m. rather than the night before – this should protect your cart from blowing over in the night.

· Ensure carts are not overfull and lids remain fully closed until collection has occurred.

Anyone who witnesses littering is asked to report it at 403-529-8481.