SASKATOON — There are rules in Saskatchewan on how to appropriately dispose of waste and failing to follow those rules can result in charges under The Environmental Management and Protection Act.
Davnn Contracting of Kenaston pleaded guilty in Saskatoon Traffic Court Jan. 9 to illegal dumping and operating an illegal landfill, resulting in a fine total of $21,000.
On March 5, the Village of Young, located about 100 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon, pleaded guilty to the same offences and was fined $21,000 and ordered to clean up the site by Dec. 31, 2024. The fines will be directed to the provincial Impacted Sites Fund.
The investigation began in August 2022, when environmental protection staff with the Ministry of Environment received a report concerning the illegal disposal of demolition waste. Through a joint investigation, conservation officers with the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety's Provincial Protective Services Branch confirmed that the Village of Young had hired Davnn Contracting to demolish six old houses and haul them to a gravel pit approximately 1.6 kilometres out of town. There, the waste was dumped into a hole and covered with debris and dirt.
The village was subsequently provided with two notices from the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety over a year, directing it to voluntarily clean up the illegal disposal site. When cleanup did not occur, charges were laid in November 2023.
Demolishing old buildings creates many different types of waste, some of which can be harmful to the environment and human health, states the Ministry of Envornment. It is vital to dispose of such waste properly to avoid serious impacts on the air, soil and water - not to mention significant fines and cleanup costs, the ministry adds.
If you suspect wildlife, fisheries, forestry or environmental violations, please call Saskatchewan's Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561 or report online at saskatchewan.ca/tipp. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for cash reward from the SaskTIP Reward Program.
