ROANOKE, Va. – A resident in the Blue Hills area of Roanoke say illegal dumping at a nearby construction site off Orange Avenue has been ongoing for months, leaving piles of debris just steps from homes and private wells.
James Fitzgerald reports that trucks have repeatedly dropped off trash ranging from old furniture and electronics to construction materials and household chemicals. Fitzgerald, who lives near the site, said the volume and variety of waste suggest it was intentionally hauled in.
His chief concern is what may already be buried beneath the debris. “My main concern is what all is coming here that is buried under a lot of this stuff already that we don’t know about,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald said chemical products, including cleaners and fabric sprays, are scattered across the site, only feet from his house and well. He worries those materials could leach into the ground.
“I’m concerned that any of this stuff that’s going to be buried — like the chemicals — is going to reach my well and drinking water,” he said.
10 News contacted the city’s departments of sanitation, code enforcement and development review, as well as the developer building the apartment complex, to report the issue and ask what actions are being taken.
The city replied with a statement reading “The City has conducted multiple visits to address violations and investigate complaints related to the Blue Hills area construction site. The owner’s active construction permit allows for some onsite construction debris during this phase of work. However, Planning, Building and Development is monitoring the issue. The City’s Environmental Manager conducted an investigation in response to environmental complaints and referred the matter to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which is the controlling regulatory authority for large scale solid waste sites. Residents can report suspected code violations on the City’s website.”
Fitzgerald said monitoring alone is not enough and urged additional steps to prevent further dumping, including blocking access to the site. “Please do something,” he said. “I know maybe you’re doing all you can, but at least have a developer block the entrance off right here.”