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Tervita after hours scrap area closing

Tervita Metals Recycling is closing its after-hours scrap collection area at 8149 Edgar Industrial Cl. after a chronic abuse of the service.It was opened four years ago as a place for people to drop off scrap metal, instead of in Trevita’s employee parking lot. But the last two years have seen the yard turn into an all-purpose dumping site.

Tervita Metals Recycling is closing its after-hours scrap collection area at 8149 Edgar Industrial Cl. after a chronic abuse of the service.

It was opened four years ago as a place for people to drop off scrap metal, instead of in Trevita’s employee parking lot. But the last two years have seen the yard turn into an all-purpose dumping site. Instead of just metal being dropped off, there were drums of oil and unidentified liquids — which had to be tested and disposed of properly — as well as scraps of wood, mattresses and other objects that Tervita had to haul away.

The breaking point was a porcelain toilet with four bags of human feces that had split open. Another issue was the company’s potential liability if anyone who came into the area to scrounge through scrap metal got hurt.

“It’s come to the point where it’s both economically and environmentally not sustainable from our perspective,” said director of operations Wade Englesby. “There’s a great big four-by-eight sign out at the site that states specifically what we can take and what items we can’t, . . . the site is actually being abused.”

Tervita will still accept scrap metal during business hours, but people must now have their load weighed and inspected before being directed to the appropriate drop point.

“What we want to do is control that drop,” said Englesby.

After-hours collection will officially close on June 2.

jaldrich@www.reddeeradvocate.com