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Catherine Siracusa, St. Mary Parish black bear conflict officer, demonstrates a bear-resistant garbage can retrofitted with the hardware shown below. Materials for the simple latches, obtained from any local hardware store, cost about $45. A YouTube video by Roanoke Valley Television shows how to install the latches.
(The Daily Review Photo by Diane Miller Fears)

Article Image Alt Text

Catherine Siracusa, St. Mary Parish black bear conflict officer, demonstrates a bear-resistant garbage can retrofitted with the hardware shown below. Materials for the simple latches, obtained from any local hardware store, cost about $45. A YouTube video by Roanoke Valley Television shows how to install the latches.
(The Daily Review Photo by Diane Miller Fears)

Retrofitting cans may keep black bears at bay

By JEAN L. McCORKLE jmccorkle@daily-review.com

St. Mary Parish residents wanting a bear-resistant trash can now have a solution — retrofitting their current cans with a locking mechanism.
Materials for the simple latches can be found at local hardware stores for about $45, according to Catherine Siracusa, parish black bear conflict officer.
Because of delays in receiving replacement bear-proof garbage cans commonly found in the Patterson area, some residents have regular cans, Siracusa said.
They and others in Ricohoc, Shady Side and River Road in Berwick can use the retrofit design that consists of installing two or three double-hinged safety hasps.
Another shipment of bear-proof cans is en route to the parish, and Progressive Waste Solutions is working to repair cans with damaged wheels and lids, Siracusa said.
At an average cost of $220 each, the state does not have plans to provide additional cans to parish residents outside of the Patterson area. Currently, St. Mary Parish is the only area in the state that uses bear-proof garbage cans.
Additionally, Siracusa said residents can help keep bears out of their trash — and by extension off their property — by taking precautions such as bagging garbage and rinsing out containers. Don’t over-fill garbage cans and recycle or reuse containers instead of throwing them away.
St. Mary Parish’s human population is still growing, and the bear population continues to grow, so “it’s inevitable we’re going to have more issues,” Siracusa said.
Materials needed for the garbage can retrofitting are two or three 4½ inch double-hinged safety hasps with hardware (replace screws with appropriate-sized bolts, locking nuts and washers); two or three clips, quick snaps or carabineers; an electric drill with appropriate bit; wrenches; and chain, wire or string.
Depending on the type of can, hasps may be attached either in the front or on the sides. If possible, it is best to attach it to both the front and sides.
For more information, search YouTube for a how-to video titled, “How to Bear Proof your Trash Container” by Roanoke Valley Television. The link is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C12bZaMHpUY.

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