The Town of High River is reminding residents not to dump any hazardous waste, toxic chemicals, or automotive fluids in their waste collection bins. Operations Manager for the town Eugene Lund says it doesn't happen all the time, but there was an issue last week.

"We had an incident last week where there was some I believe it was an oil or lubricant, something like that, that was disposed in the bin. And when we unloaded the bin into one of our garbage trucks it spilled out of the bin and all over the cabin-hood of that unit."

Lund says improperly disposing of waste can be a health and safety concern for those running garbage trucks, and any types of oils, solvents, paint removers or degreasers should be taken to the regional landfill. The Town of High River reserves the right to withhold collection of improperly prepared waste, prohibited waste, or waste set out in unsafe locations.

Lund says recently some people have left garbage mixed in with leaves and branches at the town's new yard waste drop-off location in the north-east.

"We have had a few instances of that over the past few weeks here, since we opened up the new leaves and branches location. We'd like to remind people not to mix any type of household waste or yard waste that wouldn't be considered organics into what's being dumped there."

He says the location is only meant for grass-clippings, branches, and organic yard waste, but there is an option for residents who have a bit of garbage mixed in with their yard waste.

"In the off chance that there is something that get's mixed in, we have provided a garbage bin there that that stuff can be deposited into. So if there's say some lumber or maybe a patio stone, something like that that gets mixed in, it can put it in the bin and we'll pick it up with the trucks."

For a full list of items prohibited items for waste collection, click here.