Dumping fines sometimes cheaper than dumping fees, and that's a problem

The P.E.I. official who leads enforcement against illegal dumping says the current fines are not enough of a deterrent against illegal dumping.

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Wade MacKinnon, manager of investigation and enforcement with the Justice and Public Safety Department, told CBC News illegal dumping is one of the biggest problems the department deals with.

MacKinnon said the department gets dozens of complaints during fall and spring clean-up about piles of waste dumped on private property.

Illegal dumpers hard to catch

Fines for individuals start at $200 and go as high as $1,000. MacKinnon said that isn't enough.

"On the low end, I don't believe they are because it doesn't seem to be a deterrent, especially for the individual at $200," he said.

"In many cases the fine may be cheaper than the cost at IWMC to dump the waste."

Island Waste Management Corporation charges a $115 a tonne dumping fee for some garbage, such as discarded construction materials. But many of the items found dumped illegally, such as mattresses, large appliances and old paint, can be dropped at IWMC sites for free.

MacKinnon said perpetrators are difficult to catch, but conservation officers do lay 12 to 20 charges a year on average.

It is up to government to decide whether to increase the fines, MacKinnon said.

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