City beefs up security at west-side recycling depot

Illegal dumping and ongoing concerns about safety is prompting the City of Saskatoon to beef up security at a recycling depot.

Starting Friday, the depot located at 22nd Street and Whitney Avenue will no longer be open after 9 p.m. It will be under 24/7 security surveillance and will also have a gate to prevent entry after hours.

“It’s unfortunate that it has come to this, but ongoing issues have left us with no choice but to take these measures,” said Angela Gardiner, the city’s general manager of utilities and environment.

“While we recognize that many residents make use of this depot with the good intention of diverting their waste, the ongoing behaviour by some residents has resulted in unfavourable site conditions.”

Gardiner said the city will monitor the depot to assess whether additional measures will be needed.

The Meadowgreen depot is one of six locations across the city for residents to drop off recyclables.