Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Illegal Dumping

CBRM's Illegal Dumping Program

The Solid Waste Department and the Cape Breton Regional Police Service joined forces in the fall of 2010 to tackle Illegal Dumping. The department has a full-time officer dedicated to the illegal dumping enforcement program developed by this department. Divert Nova Scotia provides funding to support CBRM's illegal dumping efforts.

What is Illegal Dumping

Illegal dumping is the unauthorized dumping or disposal of waste material on any public or private property in the CBRM. It is a serious problem that exists across the municipality. The solid waste department in partnership with the Cape Breton Regional Police Service works together to reduce, clean up, and prevent illegal dumping from happening.  Preventing and stopping illegal dumping requires the assistance of the community.  

Reporting an Illegal Dumpsite

Illegal dumping is a crime in CBRM. Residents who witness illegal dumping or locate an illegal dumpsite are encouraged to report it to CBRM’s Waste Management Hotline at (902)567-1337. The Solid Waste Department has a full-time constable on staff who investigates all reported dumpsites. You can also report illegal dumping by using the solid waste mobile app. The form is available in the Need Help Section of the App. Check it out today by downloading the Solid Waste App from the Apple Store or the Google Play store.  The information reported to the department remains confidential and is only provided to the constable.  

Reporting an Illegal Dumpsite

The information a complainant discloses remains confidential between the complainant and the constable. Information that is helpful to the Illegal Dumping Officer includes:

• The date you located the dumpsite?
• Location of the dumpsite (community the site is located in, identifiable landmarks near the site, distance from a landmark, if in a ditch, what side of the road, etc)
• Clear directions on how to reach the location.
• Material & debris noticed in the dumpsite.
• Appearance of the debris.  Did it look like it was there for a while or recently placed at the site?

These details are useful as the constable begins an investigation.  

Illegal Dumpsite Cleanups

Cleaning up and removing the debris dumped in an unauthorized location is a priority.  When possible,  the constable has the perpetrator responsible for creating the mess remove the debris, and clean up the property.  When that is not possible, other arrangements are examined to have the materials removed from the environment.