Bear-resistant dumpsters needed

With the recent uptick in bear habituation to trash throughout Whitefish, I think it’s time the city explore investing in large steel bear-resistant dumpsters.

Currently, alleyways in and around downtown Whitefish use large round plastic dumpsters, which do little to discourage bear activity. Dakota and Columbia Avenue alleyway dumpsters are knocked over on a nightly basis by bears, as are many others in the area.

This habituation to trash endangers both bears and people.

While bear-resistant steel dumpsters slow down trash collection because they need to be manually unlocked, I think it is well worth the extra time and investment.

These heavy-duty dumpsters have been used successfully by the Forest Service, in national parks, animal preserves, and by cities throughout the U.S.

It’s time Whitefish follows suit.

—Carolanne Wright, Whitefish