Illegal dumping in pine barrens a chronic problem, officials say

Illegally dumped mounds of household debris, including furniture, paperwork and lamps, were discovered in the pine barrens in Yaphank in August, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday, the latest in an ongoing trash problem within Long Island's most significant wilderness preserve.

The Long Island Central Pine Barrens are a common spot for illegal dumping of household waste, said sheriff’s office Capt. Michael Smith, who also serves as chairman of the Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Council. The pine barrens, which stretch more than 100,000 acres, span across the towns of Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southampton and East Hampton and are predominantly owned by New York State and Suffolk County. 

Law enforcement did not publicly identify the man responsible for dumping two trailer-loads of trash. He faces no current criminal charges, but was responsible for cleaning the area at his own expense. A state Department of Environmental Conservation spokesperson said the agency also is investigating the Aug. 13 case. 

Illegal dumping at the pine barrens is a continuing problem, according to the sheriff's office and the DEC.

Smith said there are dozens of dumping cases in the preserve each year. In 2021, DEC environmental conservation officers addressed 24 illegal dumping cases in the pine barrens. Five cases have been addressed so far this year, a department spokesperson said. 

“It comes down to laziness and opportunity,” Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. said. “Someone thinks they can get away with something and do it at a cheaper cost or do it in a quicker manner.” 

Richard Amper, executive director of nonprofit Long Island Pine Barrens Society, said illegal dumping has occurred at the preserve for the last 40 years and has become more common in the last five years. 

“It’s just a crying shame when abusers dump foreign materials and walk away," he said. 

Although the latest dumping came from a resident, illegal dumping in the preserve mostly comes from business owners or contractors, a DEC spokesperson said. Dumping household waste doesn't just create an eyesore, it can hurt the environment, officials said. 

There’s concern about the impact of waste that includes household chemicals, motor oil or pesticides, said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a nonprofit in Farmingdale. A DEC spokesman said bulky debris, landscaping material and household trash are the most common items dumped in the pine barrens, which pose a risk of material leaching into the groundwater. The preserve intersects with several watersheds and major rivers.

There are no additional fines for illegal dumping in the pine barrens, a DEC spokesperson said.

“I really think, unfortunately, that people see the pine barrens as a large, open space that they mistakenly believe isn’t well used, and they don’t think their dumping will be discovered, but that’s not true,” Esposito said.

Outside of the pine barrens, illegal dumping and littering is a “chronic” issue in Suffolk preserves and parks, Smith said. It’s a problem that stretches back decades, said Legis. Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), whose district includes part of the pine barrens.

“If you see something, say something,” she urged Long Islanders. 

Recent examples of illegal dumping include at Roberto Clemente Park in Brentwood, which was shuttered for more than three years as crews removed 40,000 tons of hazardous construction waste in 2014. In 2016, officials discovered that hundreds of truckloads of material had been dumped at the Sweet Hills Riding Center in Suffolk County's West Hills Park.

By Brinley Hineman

brinley.hineman@newsday.com

Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.