By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Staff members at Davidson’s SARCAN depot are happy to accept recyclable beverage containers, as well as leftover paint and unused electronic equipment, during business hours.

It’s some of the other contributions they’ve had outside of those hours that they’re less than thrilled about.

Depot supervisor Debbie Vicente said employees often arrive at work in the mornings to discover that people have dropped their unwanted items off at the site overnight.

“We’ve had couches, we’ve had old furniture, we’ve had beds,” she said. “You name it, we’ve had it.”

While some of the castoff items would be accepted during the depot’s business hours, many — including microwave ovens, sinks and bathtubs — would not be.

Vicente said this has long been an issue at the Davidson depot, which is operated by Interlake Human Resources.

“We’re the ones that have to take it to the dump,” she said, noting that Interlake is then stuck with the landfill fees.

“We do have signs up,” she continued. “They’ll leave it right under the signs. . . They just ignore it.”

Vicente came by the Leader office last week to place an ad reminding the public not to leave unwanted items at the depot after hours.

Such dumping is illegal, but outside of installing video cameras at the site, little can be done to catch or deter perpetrators.

Town administrator Gary Edom said that illegal dumping is under provincial jurisdiction, adding that the only related bylaw on Davidson’s books concerns littering from vehicles.

The provincial government has recently mounted a campaign, reminding the public that illegal dumping can be reported through the TIP hotline at 1-800-667-7561. Ads state that all reports are investigated and calls are confidential.

For information on items accepted at SARCAN depots, visit sarcan.ca.