Yellowknife (Aug 30/06) - A man who complained in May about illegal dumping along a road between Giant Mine and the city dump is happy to see the road has been blocked off.

The gravel road is no longer filled with deep freezers and other appliances. It was blocked by a large boulder at the entrance, a mound of gravel and a ditch.

A large boulder blocks the entrance of an access road connected to the Yellowknife landfill. The road, now cleaned up, used to be a place people ditched appliances instead of dropping them off at the dump for a fee. - Jessica Gray/NNSL photo

"People will have to find other places to dump (their garbage)," said Peter Pagonis last week.

Pagonis complained to Yellowknifer last May after discovering scores of appliances had been abandoned there by residents, presumably in an attempt to avoid paying tipping fees at the dump.

It's not clear who cleaned up the road or who blocked it off, but the city is doing its best to tackle illegal dumping, said public works manager Greg Kehoe.

"It's not unusual to have illegal dumping," said Kehoe. Ditching items like old fridges, ovens, and other household appliances has remained steady since January, he said.

Municipal Enforcement manager Doug Gillard said five or six people have been charged with illegal dumping - including appliances and vehicles - since January.

"It's pretty rare to catch somebody in the act," said Gillard.

He said the Municipal Enforcement Division patrols back roads and other places like the sandpits - an open area near the Yellowknife airport - where dumping happens.

The fines for illegal dumping are $200 for the first offence, $350 for the second, and $500 for the third.