WHYNOTTS SETTLEMENT - More than a dozen trash bags plump with clothing, food scraps, beer cans and product packaging were recently strewn along a section of ditch off the Whynaught Road.

 The trash was chucked less than a kilometre from David Hiltz's house. Mr. Hiltz lit up the phone lines after recently discovering the mess, but indicated he got little satisfaction from the agencies he contacted.

 He theorizes that someone hauled the load to the nearby recycling centre, found out the material wouldn't be accepted because it's unsorted and decided to chuck it somewhere for free out of frustration.

 A provincial government-issued newsletter about its Adopt-a-Highway program includes some of what Mr. Hiltz mentions. Avoiding tipping fees at municipal landfills, travel distance to landfill sites and lack of time and effort to properly sort materials for disposal are listed in the fall 2010 document as potential reasons.

 Mr. Hiltz has no problem if someone's discarding bushes "and stuff like that because it's just going to rot up but not that kind of stuff," he said, referring to the sea of trash and black bags.

 Those who find an illegal dump site along a section of highway are encouraged to first contact Nova Scotia's Department of Transportation.

 For sites along private roads and private properties, contact the province's Environment Department.

 The Department of Natural Resources wants to know about illegal dumping on Crown land. Starting in 2009, the province stepped up surveillance at known illegal dump site targets in an effort to reduce the amount of garbage on government-owned properties. Anyone guilty of dumping material on Crown land can be fined up to $2,000 or receive six months in jail, or both.

 People living in the Municipality of Lunenburg who want to dispose of material that was dumped illegally on their properties may be able to get tipping fees waived at the recycling centre.

 Experts say illegal dump sites can negatively impact wildlife, the environment and even human health.

posted on 07/05/11