Bear Meeting Recommendations for Garbage

An information meeting on the bear problem at Mt. Si Cottages was held for the residents on December 7th at Snoqualmie City Hall. Mayor Matt Larson, Mike Roy of the Public Works Department, Officer Nigel Draveling of the Snoqualmie Police Department and Julie Hopkins Biologist and bear expert presented information.

The bears have become humanized and now feel comfortable within 25 yards or so of humans. Some residents have reported that the bears have become more aggressive. One resident was charged by a bear while walking her dog; bears are frequently seen on the patios. Please be very aware of the bears and be cautious when out after dark. Because of a lack of natural food the bears had a difficult time bulking up for hibernation and may continue to look at our garbage cans as a food source throughout the winter. Even though the bears are in partial hibernation during the winter they still come out to feed every few weeks.

All speakers on the panel stressed that food must be completely removed from the garbage cans or the bears will continue to invade our community for years. They stressed there must be 100% compliance by all residents for this to work. Allied Waste is experimenting with bear-resistant cans and will let us know when they are available to residents.

Easy and inexpensive suggestions for eliminating the food from your garbage:

1. Mt. Si Cottage residents are not allowed to put garbage cans out on the street until the day of collection. Allied Waste garbage trucks come between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. on Tuesdays.
2. Put as many food scraps as possible down the garbage disposal. (Avoid putting anything with gristle or bones, or large bits of garbage down the disposal as you might break it.)
3. What you can't put down the disposal, put in a plastic bag and keep inside until garbage day. Do not put any food scraps outside. Bears can smell food from miles away. Use a sealed 5-gallon paint can for the garbage, available at Lowes or put food scraps in the freezer or refrigerator

4. Bears loove poop--both dog and human. No dog feces is allowed on the common elements. This is attracting the bears. All dog feces must be picked up, bagged and removed immediately. Poopy diapers must be rinsed out in the toilet before being put in the garbage.

5. If you have an Allied Waste clamshell garbage cart, you have Allied's permission to drill two holes in the lid and to use bolts to secure the can. This has proved successful against bear attacks on diaper-filled cans. However, you must unbolt the can the day of garbage collection. The driver will not unbolt the can or pick up garbage from bolted cans.

Thanks for your help and cooperation on this difficult problem. The harder we make it for the bears to get to the food in our cans the less we will see of them.