Shelter Island 'pickers' fight town after banning trash and treasure hunting
Bob DeNardo once salvaged a John Deere riding mower out of Shelter Island's recycling and trash yard. John Duo said he drove a 1969 Volvo out of the facility in the 1990s. Robert Waife recovered a steel, spiral staircase that he keeps in his barn.
The "pickers" of Shelter Island, as they are known, describe the town’s transfer station as a community hub — a daily gathering place where residents hunt for treasures. The tradition dates back decades on the island where affluent summer residents in mansions coexist with the smaller year-round population.
But the pickers are fuming after a policy change over the summer restricted access to discarded lumber and metal — known as the "C & D pile" for construction and demolition. Ken Lewis Jr., the town’s commissioner of public works, cited safety and liability concerns as the impetus for the change that took effect July 1. Lewis said the decision didn't stem from any specific incident, but rather was a change meant to keep people safe and align the department's policies with other transfer stations on Long Island.
Lewis has stood firm amid pushback from residents who have organized a petition with more than 500 signatures and crowded recent town board meetings. Waife, 65, wore a life ring over his head at the Sept. 17 board meeting with "Yes to picking" written on it.
"I'm just one guy and there's many, many people that have stories about finds that they had," he said in an interview.
Most residents frequent the facility to dispose of household garbage and recyclables, making for a natural transition to check in on what’s new at the "Goodie Pile."
Lewis said the "Goodie Pile," an enclosed area where residents can drop off and pick up anything from household appliances to toys or books, remains open. He said he plans to expand it by adding space where some of the usable wood and metal from the trash pile can be safely stored for pickers.
"I know what it means to some of the people that they feel like something is being taken away from them," said Lewis, whose parents both served as council members on the island. "But I’m trying to look at it from a safety standpoint and from a liability standpoint."
The pickers disagree. They say they know how to search through the pile safely and that concerns about injuries are overblown.
"Everybody on the island for 60 to 70 years has gone back there and picked," said Robert Gorcoff, 68.
For now, though, a red sign placed in front of the trash pile warns it’s a restricted area for unloading only. Most of the materials are left by contractors working on the island. The pickers say the materials come in handy and can save a two-hour round trip to the closest Home Depot in Riverhead.
Shelter Island Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said she was concerned the town’s insurance wouldn’t cover a person’s injury if people are allowed into an area "that’s not the safest."
She said she's heard from residents who have said they won't be happy until they can resume picking.
"For liability purposes, I don't think that's a good idea," she said.
The pickers hope to pressure town board members into reversing the policy. When Lewis was elected town highway department superintendent last year, he was also appointed commissioner of public works. In that capacity, he oversees the transfer station.
Lewis said he doesn’t know of another municipality that allows residents to comb through piles of construction materials and metal. He said he’s heard from some supporters of the change who are not as vocal as the detractors.
Southold Town has an area like the "Goodie Pile" that’s open three days a week for items such as plates, glassware, toys and wooden furniture, according to Nick Krupski, the town's solid waste coordinator. But he said the town has had a "long-standing no salvaging policy" due to safety concerns.
Brookhaven Town, the largest in Suffolk, partnered with Habitat for Humanity in 2022 for a program that allows residents to donate items such as building materials that are uncut and unused, doors, windows and furniture at the town's facility in Brookhaven. But the town doesn't allow "picking" in the same way as Shelter Island had done. Oyster Bay has a no scavenging policy for residents and public employees, officials there said.
Will Flower, a spokesman for Winters Bros. Waste Systems, Long Island's largest independent hauler of garbage, said "no scavenger" policies are standard at most facilities.
Construction debris can pose a danger, whether it's broken glass, nails or painted wood that could contain toxic chemicals, Flower said.
"The management of all waste streams can be dangerous if it’s not done properly," he said. Allowing the public to freely wander a pile of construction debris "sounds to me like a recipe for disaster," he added.
He said while "the solid waste hierarchy" supports the reuse of materials, "It has to be done in a manner which is safe and protective of the general public."
The pickers claim there haven’t been problems. But Lewis and the pickers both pointed to at least one instance "years ago" of a resident suffering a cut on metal that resulted in a lawsuit settlement.
Lewis said safety concerns heightened after an incident on the trash pile in June when someone mistakenly left a 100-gallon propane tank that should have been disposed of in the hazmat section.
Maury Laspia, a longtime picker who collects scrap metal, said he tried to take a brass valve off the tank, leading gas to escape. A crew member called the island’s fire department and firefighters doused the area "for a couple of hours to dissipate the liquid propane," Lewis said. There were no injuries, town officials said.
Laspia said the incident was overblown. He blamed town crew members for allowing the propane tank into the pile.
The tank had been left there on a rainy Sunday, the same day of the incident, Lewis said.
He said he had already planned to change the policy before the propane tank incident, which he said represented "a perfect example of what I’m trying to avoid right now."
Even without access to the trash pile, the pickers are on the hunt for the next hidden gem.
On a recent weekday in the "Goodie Pile," a pair of bookshelf speakers were on the floor near the entrance. Board games like Clue were piled on a shelf. A dusty crockpot included a note taped on the lid.
"Still works we've upgraded," it read.
Bob DeNardo once salvaged a John Deere riding mower out of Shelter Island's recycling and trash yard. John Duo said he drove a 1969 Volvo out of the facility in the 1990s. Robert Waife recovered a steel, spiral staircase that he keeps in his barn.
The "pickers" of Shelter Island, as they are known, describe the town’s transfer station as a community hub — a daily gathering place where residents hunt for treasures. The tradition dates back decades on the island where affluent summer residents in mansions coexist with the smaller year-round population.
But the pickers are fuming after a policy change over the summer restricted access to discarded lumber and metal — known as the "C & D pile" for construction and demolition. Ken Lewis Jr., the town’s commissioner of public works, cited safety and liability concerns as the impetus for the change that took effect July 1. Lewis said the decision didn't stem from any specific incident, but rather was a change meant to keep people safe and align the department's policies with other transfer stations on Long Island.
Lewis has stood firm amid pushback from residents who have organized a petition with more than 500 signatures and crowded recent town board meetings. Waife, 65, wore a life ring over his head at the Sept. 17 board meeting with "Yes to picking" written on it.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Shelter Island residents known as "pickers" are pushing back against a policy change that restricts access to construction debris and metal at the town transfer station.
- Town officials say safety and liability concerns led to the change.
- The "Goodie Pile," where residents can drop off and pick up used items, remains open.
"I'm just one guy and there's many, many people that have stories about finds that they had," he said in an interview.
Goodie pile
Most residents frequent the facility to dispose of household garbage and recyclables, making for a natural transition to check in on what’s new at the "Goodie Pile."
Lewis said the "Goodie Pile," an enclosed area where residents can drop off and pick up anything from household appliances to toys or books, remains open. He said he plans to expand it by adding space where some of the usable wood and metal from the trash pile can be safely stored for pickers.
"I know what it means to some of the people that they feel like something is being taken away from them," said Lewis, whose parents both served as council members on the island. "But I’m trying to look at it from a safety standpoint and from a liability standpoint."
The pickers disagree. They say they know how to search through the pile safely and that concerns about injuries are overblown.
"Everybody on the island for 60 to 70 years has gone back there and picked," said Robert Gorcoff, 68.
For now, though, a red sign placed in front of the trash pile warns it’s a restricted area for unloading only. Most of the materials are left by contractors working on the island. The pickers say the materials come in handy and can save a two-hour round trip to the closest Home Depot in Riverhead.
Shelter Island Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said she was concerned the town’s insurance wouldn’t cover a person’s injury if people are allowed into an area "that’s not the safest."
She said she's heard from residents who have said they won't be happy until they can resume picking.
"For liability purposes, I don't think that's a good idea," she said.
The pickers hope to pressure town board members into reversing the policy. When Lewis was elected town highway department superintendent last year, he was also appointed commissioner of public works. In that capacity, he oversees the transfer station.
No scavenging
Lewis said he doesn’t know of another municipality that allows residents to comb through piles of construction materials and metal. He said he’s heard from some supporters of the change who are not as vocal as the detractors.
Southold Town has an area like the "Goodie Pile" that’s open three days a week for items such as plates, glassware, toys and wooden furniture, according to Nick Krupski, the town's solid waste coordinator. But he said the town has had a "long-standing no salvaging policy" due to safety concerns.
Brookhaven Town, the largest in Suffolk, partnered with Habitat for Humanity in 2022 for a program that allows residents to donate items such as building materials that are uncut and unused, doors, windows and furniture at the town's facility in Brookhaven. But the town doesn't allow "picking" in the same way as Shelter Island had done. Oyster Bay has a no scavenging policy for residents and public employees, officials there said.
Will Flower, a spokesman for Winters Bros. Waste Systems, Long Island's largest independent hauler of garbage, said "no scavenger" policies are standard at most facilities.
Construction debris can pose a danger, whether it's broken glass, nails or painted wood that could contain toxic chemicals, Flower said.
"The management of all waste streams can be dangerous if it’s not done properly," he said. Allowing the public to freely wander a pile of construction debris "sounds to me like a recipe for disaster," he added.
He said while "the solid waste hierarchy" supports the reuse of materials, "It has to be done in a manner which is safe and protective of the general public."
The pickers claim there haven’t been problems. But Lewis and the pickers both pointed to at least one instance "years ago" of a resident suffering a cut on metal that resulted in a lawsuit settlement.
Propane incident
Lewis said safety concerns heightened after an incident on the trash pile in June when someone mistakenly left a 100-gallon propane tank that should have been disposed of in the hazmat section.
Maury Laspia, a longtime picker who collects scrap metal, said he tried to take a brass valve off the tank, leading gas to escape. A crew member called the island’s fire department and firefighters doused the area "for a couple of hours to dissipate the liquid propane," Lewis said. There were no injuries, town officials said.
Laspia said the incident was overblown. He blamed town crew members for allowing the propane tank into the pile.
The tank had been left there on a rainy Sunday, the same day of the incident, Lewis said.
He said he had already planned to change the policy before the propane tank incident, which he said represented "a perfect example of what I’m trying to avoid right now."
Even without access to the trash pile, the pickers are on the hunt for the next hidden gem.
On a recent weekday in the "Goodie Pile," a pair of bookshelf speakers were on the floor near the entrance. Board games like Clue were piled on a shelf. A dusty crockpot included a note taped on the lid.
"Still works we've upgraded," it read.
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
