Latest news with #bearproof
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Colorado mountain town's trash changes cause big stink with residents, businesses
After some changes in trash accessibility in the town of Silverton, some local restaurant owners are fighting to have things changed back to how they used to be. It's that, or at least find a middle ground as trash responsibilities change and littering ramps up. CBS Silverton has removed its "camp dumper," which was outside of town on the way into the wilderness for campers to use for free. The town hoped to keep the national forest clean and provide a convenient spot for refuse. A social media post from the town garnered many outcries both from locals as well as folks who visit the beautiful mountain area. The post asserted that less trash cans would equal less trash. This led to people thinking cans were going to be removed from the busiest part of the tourist-fueled downtown. The receptacles are also now outfitted with serious bearproofing. "Despite popular rumors, the town has the same number of convenience cans that we've always had around town," Mayor Dayna Kranker told CBS Colorado. "We've placed them maybe in some different areas, put a few out by the library up on a popular walking trail." The town was unable to provide the previous location for the trash cans, and the new spots for the cans. but the town told CBS Colorado it has moved to the street corners, as well as other high use areas for the public to utilize. "We're trying something new this year, and people can give us feedback," Kranker said. "By having them sort of at every block, it might encourage folks to walk a little bit more to take the beverage that they just purchased to the next store and shop at that store." That's frustrating for Molly Noel-Barela, the owner of Golden Block Brewery, who said her block used to have four cans on it. Now two adorn the corners of the block, and no trash can sits out front her brewery anymore. Noel-Barela said people are starting to litter right in front of her location, as well as entering her business to ask to dispose of things that include dirty diapers in her restaurant. This is happening because people are either not seeing the other trash cans, or could not figure out how to open them thanks to the new bearproofing. "I'm all for having bearproof trash cans," Noel-Barela said. "But they've closed up the four sides that used to be able to insert trash from, from all four directions, and they have created a bear proof mechanism that has no handle, so people cannot figure out how to open it." "You have to stick your fingers in there, pull it back, and the door is so heavy that I'm afraid there's going to be a lawsuit with missing digits." Noel-Barela said she's already heard of two people getting their fingers pinched in the heavy hinging door of the trash cans. All of this, she said, leads to trash where it shouldn't be, which makes their beautiful town that relies on tourism to survive less appealing. "Keeping it clean is huge," Noel-Barela said. "It's pride in your community. It's pride in your business." Mayor Kranker said she's proud of the community's efforts to find a solution to what she said was a tragic problem made painfully clear last year. That was when a bear was shot with a beanbag round in an effort to haze it away from trash overflowing in a dumpster, which killed the bear and orphaned two cubs. She said removing the "camp dumpster," which was constantly overflowing with garbage helps in their mission to stop something like that from ever happening again. The dumpster was also costing the town $18,000 a season, which was eating into the town's $3,000,000 budget. "That's a decent expense for a solution that wasn't working because the trash wasn't staying in the dumpster," Mayor Kranker said. While she admits people haven't given up trying to throw trash where the dumpster used to be (volunteers were able to collect 37 bags of garbage from the area recently) she believes the free, overfilled dumpster was not only a danger to bears, but was being abused. "It was getting filled with furniture and larger items," Kranker said. "It was getting used on days that the transfer station was an open by residential trash and so it was really overflowing." Mayor Kranker said she is open to new ideas from residents and guests to find a solution and would encourage folks to meet up with her to discuss the issues they have in good faith to find a solution that fits everyone. Noel-Barela believes there needs to be some other solution to the problem aside from just removing the dumpster and leaving only the dumpster at the gas station in town as an option for campers looking to dispose of their waste responsibly. In the meantime, she said her own dumpster has started to fill more, as guests look for new places to put their trash. "The only other thing I can think of is that us as business owners really do have to start taking responsibility for all of this," Noel- Barela said. "And then, if so, I want it deduction\\\\\ on my bills because I don't mind putting a trash can here (out front of my brewery) that we have to take in every night, in order to keep the trash from being dumped on the street."
National Post
13-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Barco Products Unveils New Line of Certified Bear-Proof Receptacles
Article content BATAVIA, Ill. — Barco Products, a leading provider of commercial outdoor site furnishings, proudly announces the launch of its newest line of Certified Bear-Proof Waste Receptacles, designed to meet the toughest standards in wildlife deterrence and environmental durability. Article content Article content 'We introduced bear-proof receptacles in direct response to customer demand, filling a key product gap and strengthening Barco as a one-stop shop,' said Haihan Zhao, Product Development Manager at Barco Products. Certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC), these receptacles effectively deter not only bears but also raccoons, squirrels, rats, and other wildlife. Engineered for use in campgrounds, hiking trails, RV parks, and areas near wildlife habitats, they offer unmatched protection and performance in high-risk zones. Article content 'We introduced bear-proof receptacles in direct response to customer demand, filling a key product gap and strengthening Barco as a one-stop shop,' said Haihan Zhao, Product Development Manager at Barco Products. Article content Key design features include a hinged lid secured with a gravity push latch, bottom liner access doors with bear-resistant two-point paddle pull latches, and all stainless-steel hardware to prevent corrosion. The bear-resistant construction withstands repeated clawing, chewing, and tampering, providing lasting security. Article content All styles are laser cut from 70% recycled 12-gauge steel to minimize welded joints. A dual-layer of protective finish—including a 2–3 mil epoxy primer and polyester topcoat—ensures durability and resistance to color fading. Every unit is ADA compliant, ships fully assembled and includes WASTE and RECYCLE adhesive labels. Surface mounting tabs are included (mounting kit sold separately). Article content The collection includes two styles of 32-gallon and two styles of 64-gallon receptacles, each built to resist animal intrusion while maintaining ease of use and aesthetic appeal. Available in four natural tones—tan, brown, black, and green. These rugged containers can also be customized with logos, text, or branding to fit any environment or organization. Article content Customers can choose from single or double bear-proof receptacles, with or without decorative brown recycled slats. All receptacles include a round plastic liner. Made in the U.S.A. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
