LEEDS – Almighty Waste of Auburn has admitted to illegally dumping demolition debris on property off River Road and agreed to remove it once roads dry up, officials confirmed Monday.
The debris includes wiring, asphalt shingles, old carpet, small computer parts, toys, buttons, a heavy amount of glass chips, plastic, alkaline batteries, Styrofoam, fabric, fiberglass and a shotgun shell.
Almighty Waste was sent a notice of violation dated March 3 as the initial step in the Department of Environmental Protection’s ongoing investigation of the illegal dumping, according to Eric Hamlin, a DEP environmental specialist who oversees the Auburn company’s operation.
Scott Ferland, owner of the company, did not return phone messages on Monday. The company’s motto is “Big enough to serve you, small enough to care.”
Larry Hewins, owner of the property that now contains the illegal dump, said Monday he was told by Almighty Waste employees that the debris “was all good, clean stuff.”
“No, I didn’t know it was illegal, or I wouldn’t have let them put it there,” he said.
Hamlin said he did not think the illegal dump posed a risk to neighbors.
Hamlin did not know how much waste had been unloaded in back of Hewins’ house, which abuts an old graveyard off a dead-end dirt road owned by the town.
Hewins would not say how much debris had been dumped behind his home.
Hamlin said demolition debris must be disposed of at a licensed facility, such as a landfill or a wood-burning plant.
“It’s very rare that a licensed (solid waste) hauler would be involved with something like this,” Hamlin said.
According to Hamlin, the DEP also is investigating whether Almighty Waste dumped debris on the property next door to Hewins, which is owned by his son.
Any waste that haulers don’t take to a licensed facility is cash in their pockets, Hamlin said, since each load is subject to tipping fees.
Because of the ongoing investigation, Hamlin would not say whether the DEP suspects the company has other illegal dumping sites.
Almighty Waste serves greater Lewiston and Auburn as well as parts of western Maine and Portland. It is licensed only to take commercial waste and construction and demolition debris, Hamlin said.
Besides its trash hauling and recycling business, it operates a wrecker service out of Auburn.
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