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Loose trash angers residents

Coronation-area landowners frustrated with flying garbage took their case to a development appeal board this week.

Coronation-area landowners frustrated with flying garbage took their case to a development appeal board this week.

The group appealed a County of Paintearth municipal planning commission decision to allow an expansion at the local landfill by BFI Canada, a subsidiary of Progressive Waste Solutions.

Residents are angry that garbage — which is trucked in from as far as Calgary and Red Deer County — is blowing around and getting caught up in fences and collecting in ponds.

Poor garbage handling has created a stench and attracted scavenger birds such as gulls, landowners claim.

On a Facebook page under Coronation Community Against BFI Landfill Expansion, it says that the company’s “track record for controlling escaped litter, gulls, odour and other negative aspects of the operation has been terrible.

“Previous complaints by impacted neighbours (to various entities including BFI) about this operation has not produced a satisfactory long-term solution,” says the site.

Paintearth County chief administrative officer Tarolyn Peach said about 40 people turned out for the subdivision and development appeal board hearing on Monday afternoon.

Peach said she was acting as secretary for the board so could not speak for the county on the issue.

Chaya Cooperberg, of Progressive Waste Solutions, says in an email the company wants to be respectful of the appeal process and does not want to comment until the board releases its decision.

Once that happens, the company would like to outline the steps it is taking to address area concerns.

“We are committed to being a good neighbour and look forward to being able to talk about our plans,” says Cooperberg, vice-president of investor relations and corporate communications.

pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com