As we all know, bears love garbage. An easily accessible household container is a beacon of an easy meal and the beginnings of conditioning to non-natural food sources. If one regular sized garbage can is a treat - a full sized commercial dumpster is nothing short of a buffet of enticing smells and subsequent calories.
Dumpsters that are accessible to bears and other wildlife become centralized feeding areas and pose a risk to surprise encounters. Often, these dumpsters are found in close proximity to residential areas such as apartment buildings and other multi-unit complexes or near commercial businesses in urban areas. As these are high traffic areas for human use, the risk of a surprise bear encounter increases as does the risk to human safety, damage to personal property and negative outcome for the bears involved.
The solution, of course, is using a bear resistant container. Many dumpsters rely on human action to properly close the lid and engage a locking mechanism of some sort – usually a padlock. Quite often, even after a padlock is applied, the lid is still able to be lifted an inch or two providing access to determined bears. Any garbage that is near the top will be dragged out and the problem perpetuates. Not only are bears able to hook their claws into seemingly impossible angles and spaces, they can also easily break through plastic
topped dumpsters – locked or not.
So what makes a container bear resistant? The Living With Wildlife Foundation has developed a testing procedure to determine if a waste container can be considered “bear resistant”. Testing includes a visual inspection of hinges, lids, openings or coverings that may allow a bear to gain access to the container; an impact test is used to simulate the force a bear can exert to open a container; a penetrometers test determines if the container can be bitten or clawed through and finally the container must withstand a live captive grizzly test.
To “pass” the container must not have any gaps larger than 3/16” wide, easily latch (self latching is best), withstand impacts from a 100lb weight dropped from two feet with no damage resulting in gaps of a ¼” or more, resist piercing from a 135lb force and endure a minimum of 30 minutes with a live grizzly bear in which the bear is not able to access the attractants within. To view the full testing procedure visit www.lwwf.org. For further information on recommended products and container specifics, please contact Crystal McMillan (Bear Smart BC Society).
To report any wildlife-human interactions where public safety may be at risk, call the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277).
Information provided by Christina Brack, Director of Communications Bear Smart BC Society and Crystal McMillan, Executive Director Bear Smart BC Society
For more “Bear Smart” information, questions, concerns or to volunteer please contact:
Dawn Boyce 250-723-2187 or Christina Brack 250-723-9200
For more information on the Ministry of Environment Bear Smart Community Program or the Bear Smart BC Society please call: Crystal McMillan at 250-650-9653