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Thieves go green in Nanaimo

NANAIMO – City of Nanaimo is warning residents of thefts of green compost bins.

The City of Nanaimo has issued a warning to residents to keep an eye on their green bins.

Public works department now receiving about two calls a day from residents in all areas of the city reporting their green plastic organic waste disposal bins have gone missing, according to Charlotte Davis, manager of recycling and santitation.

The thefts, which started about six months ago, mostly happen on collection days when homeowners place bins out at the curb side. They are stolen with or without food waste in them, which tends to rule out bears and other scavengers making off with them, Davis said.

"At first we thought it was a fluke or a one-off, maybe the home owner misplaced it or ran over it and didn't report it," Davis said. "It's very strange because there have been absolutely no sign of any of them."

She said garbage collectors never remove green bins.

The city has not contacted the RCMP about the problem yet, but Davis said homeowners who have bins taken should.

"They are the property of the homeowner since they do have to pay for them," Davis said.

Residents are advised to write their home addresses on the bins in large lettering to help dissuade thieves, put bins on the curb side before 8 a.m. on collection day – not the night before – and remove the bins as soon as possible after their contents have been collected.

Green bins can be purchased from the city public works department at 2020 Labieux Rd. from home supply retailers.



Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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