Bear-proof carts too costly?

The Regional District of Central Okanagan is mulling over the use of bear-resistant garbage bins, but the cons are starting outweigh the pros.

More than a year after a pilot project testing the containers was put on hold, RDCO says the search is ongoing for an effective 120-litre bear resistant cart that is both user-friendly and durable against bear damage.

“There kind of is one standard 120-litre cart out there that has a retrofit on it that is fairly bear-resistant, but what we’re finding is that what’s more effective is behaviour change with our residents,” said Cynthia Coates, supervisor of solid waste services. “We were finding with the pilot, even with that cart, if the bear has the ability to drag it away it can still break into it.

“We have talked to some communities that have incurred significant costs to replace those carts because bears are still able to drag them away.”

Instead, the regional district is putting more emphasis on public education. Specifically, the latest campaign with encourage residents to keep their trash in the house or a locked garage or shed until collection day.

“We’re actually just rolling out a campaign on that. It’s the first time we’ve done a very targeted campaign on managing attractants and teaching people how to have those tips on how to manage their garbage. But definitely the best option is to keep garbage in the house as long as possible,” said Coates.

She says one way to deal with the odours that come with decaying food waste is to freeze it and then put it in your cart on garbage day. Local Solid Waste Management bylaws state residents must only put garbage, yard waste and recyclables out between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the day of collection.

RDCO and WildSafeBC are urging people to do more this time of year to prevent human-bear conflicts.

“Bears are active this time of year as they enter their most intense eating phase before hibernation,” says Breanna Scott, the Central Okanagan’s WildSafeBC Coordinator. “This period, known as hyperphagia, sees bears consuming up to 20,000 calories a day. To find enough food before winter, bears tend to move to lower elevations, adjacent to their habitat, and conflicts in residential areas tend to increase.”

The new campaign will also discourage the use of bird feeders, which often lure bears, rodents and other wildlife.

One key attractant in the fall are apples and other fruit. While homeowners are being asked to pick any ripe fruit, it’s more of a challenge for orchards to keep up with the glut of apples, especially this year, in the wake of the demise of the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative.

“I’m sure it’s a challenge for orchards to keep on top of that as well and make sure they’re not attracting bears. They can do other things with fencing, and things like that to keep bears out as well,” notes Coates. “It’s just another attractant, fruit in general.”

Coates is encouraged to see people in some communities working to educate their neighbours about the best way to deal with wildlife attractants.

“People have the ability to protect these majestic creatures and hopefully they can learn how they can do that. If whole neighbourhoods are taking those steps and those actions it goes a really long way.”

Here is a homeowners checklist from WildSafeBC:

• Secure your garbage – store it in a secure location indoors or a bear-resistant enclosure.
• Secure your yard waste cart if it contains fruit.
• Only put garbage out for collection on the morning of pickup, never the night before.
• Encourage neighbors to do the same, offer to help if needed.
• Wash recyclables before placing them in the cart, keep carts clean.
• Consider freezing your kitchen waste until the morning of collection day.
• Manage your fruit trees, pick ripe and fallen fruit immediately.
• Maintain your compost so it does not smell. Add fruit slowly. No meat/dairy.
• Use birdbaths and houses to attract birds, instead of bird feeders.
• Burn off grills, clean grease traps and store equipment securely for barbeques, smokers and firepits.
• Feed pets indoors and store pet food inside.
• Keep food secured indoors and avoid using outdoor fridges and freezers.
• Consider electric fencing around chicken coops or beehives.
• Keep garages/sheds closed and minimize shrub or tree cover near the ground.