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Litter costs millions
March 27th, 2005
- Brampton Guardian
It costs Brampton taxpayers $2 million every year to clean up the litter strewn on local streets, according to city officials.
That's the cost for city workers to clean up everything from discarded paper cups to old tires and syringes carelessly dropped or dumped in area parks, on boulevards, and in greenbelts.
The cost would be higher still if 45,000 residents didn't volunteer to help every year.
April is Spring Cleanup Month in Brampton and thousands of residents, individually and in groups, take the time to pick up garbage accumulated during the winter months. City councillors praised the program recently.
"What an amazing event, and one that fosters pride among families and community groups right across our city," said Regional Councillor Elaine Moore, council representative on Brampton's Clean City Committee.
Also on the committee, City Councillor Garnett Manning praised the volunteers who make the event work.
"Each year, the numbers grow, demonstrating what a successful effort Brampton's Clean City Committee makes, and what dedication there is in this city to keeping Brampton clean and green," he said.
Registration for the spring cleanup is expected to reach 30,000 this year. The Brampton Clean City Committee brings schools, church groups, service clubs, community groups, businesses and individuals together in the cause. All Tim Hortons restaurants across the city are partners in the cleanup.
Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell is calling on everyone to spend five minutes on Earth Day, April 22, picking up garbage wherever they are.
Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell recently wondered aloud who drops litter as they walk or drive around Brampton.
"It's just careless and it shows lack of pride in your city," she said at Monday's city council meeting.
Wards 9 and 10 Regional Councillor John Sprovieri said the problem has been a thorn in his side for years and he suggested putting signs up telling residents how much litter costs them each year.
"I think if people really know how much it's costing, they might tuck their litter into their cars and put it in the garbage later. There's nothing worse than when the snow melts and you see all that litter left. It really is an awful sight."
Brampton's parks and recreation employees and works and transportation employees pick up hazardous materials such as paint, oil, old tires and syringes, propane containers, household garbage, renovation materials, construction debris fast food and beverage containers, coffee cups and pop cans strewn throughout the city in valleylands, parks, on boulevards and streets.
"I said it last clean-up, and I urge citizens across Brampton to consider the impact of littering, not just in April and October for the community cleanups, but every day," Fennell said. "The litter you see is a taxpayer's fee."
More than 45,000 people participated in the City's spring and fall clean-up efforts in 2004.
"Brampton leads across Ontario with this positive cleanup effort, based not on punishment by fines or bylaws, but on co-operation across the city," Manning said. "This is a truly commendable program we can all be proud of."
To register as an individual or a group for April's Spring Cleanup, or for more information, call 905-874-2828, springcleanup@brampton.ca or visit the City's Web site at www.brampton.ca.
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