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One Community - One Keystone



Wildlife Proof Dumpsters

  • 22 Jul 2026 9:53 AM
    Quote
    Message # 13655767
    Tim Huiting (Administrator)

    From Chris Nelson, Gateway Lodge

    New Keystone regulations call for dumpsters to be wildlife proof, and possibly enclosed.  Bear proof is probably the goal.  There are different ways to attain than.  Some require human intervention to lock them.  Waste Management will supply some but not warrant or repair them.  How are we trying to meet this goal collectively.
  • 22 Jul 2026 10:21 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 13655784 on 13655767
    Ed

    We have seen a large bear recently go from Quicksilver moving from dumpster to dumpster, at 1:30pm and 4am, stand up and shake the latching iron bar doors, then move on to Sunrise that has no latching dumpsters, or Tennis Townhomes which apparently do not latch easily or are left open frequently.


    wildlife proof dumpsters need to latch easily for the humans.
  • 22 Jul 2026 5:01 PM
    Quote
    Reply # 13656010 on 13655767
    Hilary Hoffman, Key Condo

    Key Condo built a bear proof shed last summer, as keeping the dumpster itself locked proved to be useless (humans could not figure out how to open and then lock it properly, so bears got in all the time).

    The new shed has a roll up garage door, a separate man-door for the humans (bears cannot open it), and two windows for ventilation that are covered with wire mesh. We see evidence of bears attempting to get in, with no luck so far!
  • 4 Aug 2026 7:25 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 13661610 on 13655767
    Curtis Audin - Frey Gulch

    This is a concerning problem.  I have seen everything from the long-tailed weasel up to moose crossing by my townhome.  Can we solve this globally?  Not every HOA uses the same waste removal contractor, although most seem to use Waste Management (WM).  Then, as a smaller HOA, we do not have a central, nor can we build an enclosed shed for our trash.  Each of our units have the WM bins, one for trash and one for recycle.  To date we ask that the owners not to put out their bins before 06:00 on trash day and have them back in their garage by 20:00 the same day.  But the containers themselves are not wildlife proof so while they are out they are vulnerable.  I have seen latches you can purchase that fit over the covers of these bins to secure them.  I have not tried them nor do I know how WM would deal with them.  

    How to overcome the human factor and failure to properly lock doors after use is a concern.
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