Investigation: Questions raised about cleanup of 10,000 tires dumped along Delaware River

EDGEMOOR, Delaware (WPVI) — A bunch of Delaware residents is anxious about an unlawful tire dump on state-owned land.

And it is no little dump, by some estimates, it is 10,000 tons of scrap tires.

Residents say the mountains of previous and shredded tires are an environmental hazard and a breeding floor for mosquitos.

The state ordered the tires to be faraway from the location in Edgemoor, Delaware, a yr in the past, however they nonetheless stay.

“So I used to be instantly alarmed on the measurement and the potential impacts,” mentioned resident Simeon Hahn.

Residents, together with Hahn and Jeff Richardson, first noticed the photographs earlier this yr.

“In the event that they catch on fireplace, which has occurred earlier than, with tire piles, that is a significant, main drawback,” famous Hahn.

“It is a very obvious instance of an enormous breakdown within the enforcement of laws,” added Richardson.

The 2 blame state officers for permitting it. They need to know the way it occurred and when it’s going to be cleaned up.

“There’s virtually like a wall of silence,” mentioned Richardson.

The positioning is a part of the Port of Wilmington and is owned by the state. In 2018 the state entity that ran it, the Diamond State Port Company, leased the property to an organization referred to as Gulftainer which is predicated within the Center East.

The corporate mentioned on the time it could make investments practically $600 million to redevelop the port and construct a brand new container terminal on the location. It was hailed to convey hundreds of jobs.

“To this point, we obtained a bunch of tires on the location,” mentioned Hahn.

In late 2021, the state fireplace marshal was alerted to the tire dump.

The Delaware Division of Pure Sources and Environmental Management (DNREC) issued a Stop and Desist order in June of final yr, citing Gulftainer and a Bronx-based firm S&A Advertising, which incorporation data say offers in chemical compounds and allied merchandise.

The order states neither firm had a allow to retailer the used tires and ordered them to problem a cleanup plan.

As soon as authorised, cleanup was ordered and accomplished inside 60 days.

Makes an attempt by the Investigative Group to succeed in S&A Advertising have been unsuccessful.

Gulftainer had no remark.

“Do you assume the state has been a poor landlord right here?” requested Motion Information’ Chad Pradelli.

“Very a lot so,” replied Hahn.

DNREC informed Motion Information neither firm complies. The order requires fines of $400 a day.

The Diamond State Port Company, whose Chairman is DE Secretary of State, Jeffrey Bullock, would not reply most of our questions and as an alternative launched the next assertion:

“The Diamond State Port Company has made it clear to Gulftainer that the scrap tires at Edgemoor must be eliminated instantly by the accountable get together. Gulftainer has gone to court docket to get authorized possession of the tires and has suggested the DSPC that it has a plan. We have now requested for that plan in writing and for the plan to be executed promptly.”

“They did not come right here in a single day,” mentioned Hahn. “They usually’re not going to be gone in a single day.”

An audit of the Port Company final yr confirmed Gulftainer behind on its lease funds by greater than $4 million.

We tried to get a present determine however the state company would not present it, and we voiced our issues about transparency.

Residents at the moment are involved taxpayers may very well be caught footing the invoice for the cleanup.