Medical waste found dumped in Colonie NY

April 30, 2009
Town officials eye illegal dumping

By ROBERT GAVIN, Staff writer

ALBANY - Piles of dumped garbage — including apparent medical waste — is taking up a large swath of land in the Town of Colonie near Watervliet.
The Times Union has discovered mountains of trash, including what appear to be medical tubing and possible needle containers, in a barren area off Watervliet Shaker Road around the Adirondack Industrial Park.

The area is accessible from the end of 14th Street in Watervliet. Signs on the outskirts of the area state "No Dumping."

Despite the warning, several large piles of garbage were on the property when the Times Union, acting on a tip, visited the property on Wednesday. Among the discarded items were tires, bottles, clothes, computers, vacuum cleaners and cans. The refuse included what appeared to be many recyclables, including a large number of laundry detergent bottles.

Pete Gannon, director of operations for the Town of Colonie, when contacted today, said the dumping in the vicinity did not appear to be legal.

"I can't imagine," he said. "It's not a landfill."

He said town police were headed to the area.

The area, surrounded by some woods, is near railroad tracks on the border of Colonie and Watervliet. Private homes are not far from the refuse, which is not visible from the street.

The industrial park was most recently in the news in December when two teenagers were charged with starting a fire at an abandoned building.

Robert Gavin can be reached at 434-2403 or rgavin@timesunion.com