Resident Claims Uncovered Dumpsters Hazardous to Environment

SEA ISLE CITY — Depending on whom you ask, uncovered construction dumpsters may be spilling trash into the streets of Sea Isle City, or they might not be a problem at all.
The issue was first raised by Sea Isle resident Grant Salstrom. He claimed that a dumpster had been left uncovered at a 42nd Street construction site since April, in violation of city ordinance, and that trash often spilled out onto the street and promenade. Salstrom brought this to the attention of the city’s Environmental Commission in April and was directed to bring it up at a City Council meeting, which he did on Aug. 21.
Sea Isle’s ordinance #1430 requires roll-off dumpsters to be covered. “This cover shall be of a sufficient size and material so as to cover the entire container, and attached to the container in such a manner so as to prevent the infiltration of rainwater, wind, and other elements.”
After the August meeting, Sea Isle City’s business administrator, George Savastano, contacted Salstrom. Within two days, says Salstrom, his concerns were addressed, with some open dumpsters removed and others covered, leaving only a single uncovered dumpster in violation.
But by September, the problem had returned, claims Salstrom. On his daily walks, he counted eight uncovered dumpsters and one with a partial cover. He voiced his concern at the council meeting on Sept. 10. A month later, on Oct. 8, Salstrom says he found seven uncovered dumpsters.
“That’s not so,” says Neil Byrne, Sea Isle City construction official. “Right now there are only two uncovered dumpsters, and one of those is empty.”
The City Council told Salstrom that enforcement of dumpster ordinances is Byrne’s responsibility. Byrne claims that with the assistance of the city’s code enforcement officer, he’s staying on top of the problem.
“It’s not that we’re ignoring him [Salstrom], “ Byrne said. “We’re trying to address his concerns.”
Salstrom has taken photographs of uncovered dumpsters. Byrne says that the dumpsters obviously have to be uncovered during the day, when contractors are at work. Salstrom says his photos were taken on a Saturday evening, when no workers were present.
Also at issue is who should provide the dumpster cover. Salstrom believes it’s the duty of the dumpster’s owner, and names Pineland Construction & Demolition as the offender. Byrne disagrees, saying that it’s the responsibility of whoever’s name is on the dumpster permit application. “That may be the homeowner, it may be the contractor. If there’s a fine issued, it goes to the permit holder,” he says.
The city has a duty to its residents and visitors to enforce its regulations and protect the environment, says Salstrom. He notes a recent tweet from the Environmental Protection Agency, stating that 80 percent of trash in the water comes from land.
Conservation group Clean Ocean Action runs annual litter cleanups on New Jersey’s beaches, including one that took place on Oct. 19. During their 2012 cleanups, they collected more than 350,000 pieces of debris from state beaches, including 6,713 pieces of lumber and 1,482 pieces of foam building materials.