Struggling businesses will feel the pain from a sharp rise in waste dumping fees, the shadow public works minister said yesterday.Craig Cannonier, the Leader of the Opposition, warned that the charges could stunt the growth of small landscaping companies.He added that the lack of small businesses could slow down necessary spending on the island.Mr Cannonier said: “Bermuda’s economy is very fine and because it is such a small economy, the impact on any slight adjustment is impactful on all of us.“With the increase of fees it seems like, as stated by Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, you can’t even come home and drown out your misery by patting your dog because your dog licensing fee has gone up.”Mr Cannonier spoke after new charges were implemented at Marsh Folly Dump on Wednesday.Under amendments to Government Fees Regulations, passed in March but introduced this week, the fee was changed from a standard $25 per load to:• Light truck: $25• Intermediate/heavy truck (IN/HA): $50• Heavy truck (HB/HC): $75• Heavy truck (HX): $100• Tractor trailer dumpster (TT): $125Disposal of construction waste, white goods and metals at the Airport Waste Management Facility was also increased from $20 per load to $30 per load.Numerous truck drivers and landscapers complained that they had not been properly warned before the charges were increased.Mr Cannonier noted that the fee increases came at a time many landscapers were continuing to clean up after Hurricane Humberto.He said that this could push landscapers who could not afford the fee increases to dump their waste illegally.Mr Cannonier explained: “The way to incentivise people is to offer relief so that they don’t feel burdened and that they do the right thing.“But if you put businesses under pressure, unfortunately there are some out there who should not be breaking the law but will.”The Ministry of Public Works did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.