News
The Sechelt Nation has met with the RCMP and Direct Disposal owner Norm Bonin regarding his company's dumping of two loads of mixed waste on Band land on February 2. Chief Garry Feschuk stated that "it is upsetting that people would do something like this" when he spoke with Sustainable Coast.
Chief Feschuk, Norm Bonin and the RCMP met on Friday, February 5 to discuss the issue. Apparently, Bonin was reacting to a business dispute with Tymax Industries owner Aaron Joe. Bonin told Sustainable Coast, "Those loads were a security deposit against payment owed. Once the payment was made, we picked them up."
Feschuk said that it may have been a dispute between two business owners, but the fact is that the waste was dumped on "our land".
"I ask Bonin if I had the right to dump anything on his property," said Feschuk. " And he responded "'No'. I had to wonder why it was alright for him to dump here."
The dumped garbage which included tires, paint and medical waste, has been picked up by Direct Disposal after being loaded with Tymax equipment. Bonin said the waste load was taken to town (Vancouver). He also said that his company does not collect medical waste and he has no idea where the medical waste came from that was found in the dump loads.
Meanwhile Feschuk and the Band Council are waiting for a report from their resource management department before they make a decision. Possible criminal charges are still under investigation. They are also considering cancelling their contract with Direct Disposal to handle the Band's garbage and recycling.