Questions remain over who is responsible for cleaning medical waste discovered near an elementary school in Crapaud, P.E.I.

 

            The Department of Environment made a follow-up visit to inspect medical waste found off a path leading to Englewood School.

 

            It determined there were no more exposed pharmaceutical materials, there was no immediate risk of more being exposed, and the school would be responsible to handle any more waste discovered.

 

            Randy Reardon, the principal of Englewood School, said the waste is located on a riverbed, which is not on the school’s property.

            

            “That would definitely be something that (the department) would have to be responsible for.”

 

            The principal is not sure how much waste remains.

            

            He said regular monitoring of the site should be done once winter is finished.

            

            “I guess that’s as much as I think anybody can do.”

            

            He added the proximity of the site to the school is still a risk.

            

            “Given where it is, the likelihood of a student ever stumbling upon that is very remote, but that possibility certainly does exist.”

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             MLA Matt MacFarlane was contacted by the Department of Environment after he requested it to follow up on the waste.

 

            “It seems we're back in the very same position of the ball being in the court of the concerned citizens to keep an eye on things,” he said.

            

            A resident of the community discovered exposed syringes and other hazards in April 2024, off a path next to a riverbank near Englewood School.

            

            The government was notified of the waste but did not act on it until Oct. 2024.

            

            MacFarlane was glad the government eventually addressed the site, but the response took too long.

            

            “It did not have to take (several) months for someone in a position of authority with the province to go out and have a look with their own eyes as to what the situation was on the ground.”

            

            The Department of Environment contracted Service Master of P.E.I. to clean up the site.

 

            The department was contacted about its own investigation into the site.

 

            In an emailed response, a staff member said “the waste was all located on school property.”

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           Daphne Davey, a member of the South Shore Watershed Association (SSWA), encountered a similar waste site in the same area in 2012.

            

            She gathered a group of people to clean up the debris, but more kept coming up as it was being dug.

            

            “It got to a point where we said we have to stop, or we’ll just be taking the whole bank with us.”

            

            Davey is worried about the potential environmental impact of the waste that remains along the riverbank.

            

            Several species of wildlife live in the area.

            

            She said it is part of SSWA’s mandate to enhance the environment for the safety of both humans and animals.

            

            “Wildlife just doesn’t know what humans can do, and so they’re vulnerable.”

            

            Davey has also helped run educational workshops with Englewood’s students on the trail, which stretches between the school and Daryl Guignion Memorial Park in Crapaud.

            

            She is concerned a student in one of her workshops may stumble upon and get hurt by waste at the more recent site.

            

            “Forewarned is forearmed. Cleaning something up after it's done damage is not an appropriate way to do things.”

            

            MacFarlane said the government is aware of the risks along the path leading to the school, but the site’s location makes it difficult to determine who is responsible to manage it.

            

            “It's made more complicated by the fact that it's not on school board property, but it's being utilized by children of the school.”

            

            He added the situation must be followed up on a regular basis until something gets done.

            

            “The challenge now is going to be to keep eyes on the site going forward to ensure that it's still safe.”