What the Sam Hill is wrong with these people!?!

OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* Abuse of Stash Your Trash site at Catfish Creek

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - The Ministry of Transportation’s environmental program is in danger of closing its most northerly site at Catfish Creek in Michipicoten Township.

The “Stash Your Trash” litter program was designed and intended to reduce the amount of litter along the side of Highway 17 between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa.

An ever-growing amount of litter along this scenic portion of the Trans Canada Highway prompted officials to develop the “Stash Your Trash” program in an effort to reduce the unsightly garbage that was being carelessly tossed from passing vehicles.

New improved trash barrels, complimentary trash bags and highway signage has been statically placed along Highway 17 between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie to allow the traveling public to conveniently dispose of trash from their vehicles.

The MTO and OPP have noticed that a growing number of people have started leaving their household garbage and other unwanted items at some of these “Stash Your Trash” sites.

The additional costs of collecting and disposing of these items are endangering the future of this program.

The Ministry of Transportation and the OPP have received extraordinary positive feedback on the concept and set up of the “Stash Your Trash” program.

Regular users of this section of highway have commented on the noticeable difference the program is making with the absence of excessive amounts of litter alongside the highway. The photo above was taken at Catfish Creek on Monday of this week.

Signs are posted as the sites prohibiting people from depositing their household trash and other unwanted items at the “Stash Your Trash” sites.

OPP will investigate any violations of anyone found to be leaving their household garbage and unwanted items at these sites.

The offending culprits or business may face charges of engage in prohibited activity under the trespass to Property Act or disobey sign under the Highway Traffic Act.

Do your part to help keep your neighborhood, your highway and our province trash free.

Take your own household trash and other used items to the proper waste disposal site in your area as you have done in the past.

Do not use the “Stash Your Trash” sites as your personal dump.

Together we can work to keep this program running and do our part to keep Ontario clean and litter free.

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