Waste Pro honored for black bear conservation work

            The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission presented Waste Pro with the first ever commendation for black bear conservation.

            Waste Pro, one of the waste control providers for the county, was honored for providing bear proof waste containers to homeowners in Franklin and Wakulla counties.

            E. Ralph Mills, Waste Pro’s regional vice president, accepted a plaque commending the company for “Leadership in Reducing Human-Bear Conflicts by Providing Wildlife Resistant Containers.

            Mills said his firm initially ordered 200 bear-proof trashcans and has distributed 100.

            He said that, thanks to funding from FWC, the first 200 homeowners to receive a bear proof container will have no rate increase for the first six months they use the cans. After the trial period, the collection fee goes up $5 a month for bear-proof containers.

            “We’re hoping that once people see how well the canisters work, they will be willing to pay to keep one,” said Mills.

            The containers are fully guaranteed. Customers can call Waste Pro at 697-8800 and have damaged cans usually replaced on the same day.

            Steve Thompson, director of marketing for BearSaver in Ontario CA, the firm that manufactures the cans, is an avid outdoorsman who spends much of his leisure time visiting the back country out West where contact with bears is commonplace. He grew interested in bear-human interaction during his woodland rambles.

            In a telephone interview, he said he worked on the conceptual design for the cans and other bear-proof containers out of love for the big mammals.  - By Lois Swoboda