AMHERST, N.S. — AMHERST, N.S. – The Amherst Police Department is reminding residents that they must abide by the Solid Waste Bylaw for the Town of Amherst following several complaints of individuals dumping their garbage on other people’s properties. In many instances, the garbage is unsorted.
Individuals identified as dumping any garbage in town are subject to enforcement action under the Solid Waste Bylaw or possibly a Criminal Code charge of mischief.
An excerpt of the bylaw is as follows:
Except for the placement of solid waste for collection in accordance with this by-law, no person shall deposit, cause to be deposited or permit to be deposited solid waste at any place in the Town provided, however, that:
(1) backyard composting carried out in such manner as not to constitute a nuisance is permissible;
(2) no person shall place, cause to be placed for collection any solid waste that is not separated as required by Section 3 of this by-law or which is falsely or misleadingly presented or packaged as solid waste of a particular kind, type, stream or place of origin or which is concealed within or intermingled with solid waste of another kind, type, stream or place of origin;
(3) no householder in the Town shall permit the accumulation of solid waste in or around the property to the extent that it is or is likely to become a nuisance, unsightly or a hazard to public health;
(4) subject to statutes, regulations or laws of the Province of Nova Scotia or Canada to the contrary, the unconcentrated disposal of waste trees, brush or portions thereof or other organic farm or forestry waste by decay on forest or farm land is permitted; and
(5) subject to statutes, regulations or laws of the Province of Nova Scotia or Canada or other by-laws of the Town to the contrary, the nuisance-free disposal of aggregate, soil, bricks, mortar, concrete, asphalt pavement, porcelain or ceramic materials as fill is permitted.
Residents are advised to report any incidents of illegal dumping to the Police Department at 902-667-8600.
Residents should also be aware that they must remove garbage from their property in a timely manner to avoid any type of enforcement action under the bylaw.
