Lawrence Township officials are investigating illegal dumping at a commercial property near the Lawrence Shopping Center.
The debris was discovered in an area between a parking lot and a creek behind the shopping center, adjacent to the Burlington store.
Township officials said they first received a complaint from a resident by email on March 2. The report was acknowledged the same day, and the township’s Health Department and Police Department were assigned to investigate the matter.
Officials later confirmed the conditions described by the resident, which were also raised during public comment at the March 3 Township Council meeting.
Investigators determined the debris resulted from illegal dumping from multiple sources, including household trash, commercial waste and deer carcasses that appeared to have been field-dressed at another location before being improperly discarded at the site.
After confirming the situation, township officials notified the commercial property owner.
The owner sent a cleanup crew to the site to assess conditions and begin removing debris from the area between the parking lot and the creek, officials said. The owner has also committed to a sustained cleanup effort.
The township’s health inspector has filed a report with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. State officials are expected to send a field investigator to review the site and determine whether further environmental action is necessary.
Township officials said the property owner also agreed to take additional steps to prevent future dumping.
Those measures include working with the township’s zoning officer to install a fence along the parking lot boundary and adding signage and potentially security cameras to deter illegal dumping.
The Lawrence Township Police Department will also increase patrols of the area during late-night hours.
Officials also learned that commercial vehicles had been using the rear portion of the parking lot as a staging area for service calls related to the recent winter storm.
The property owner plans to request that those vehicles be removed from the site.
Township officials said they have remained in communication with the resident who reported the issue and have provided updates on the investigation and cleanup.
Mayor Christopher Bobbitt praised the response by township staff and the cooperation of the property owner.
“Although the information that the resident shared with Township Council is distressing, I am proud of the rapid response of our professional Township staff as well as the willingness of the commercial property owner to work to address the issue of illegal dumping and protect our natural resources,” Bobbitt said.
Lawrence officials said the township encourages residents to report environmental concerns and will continue working with property owners and state agencies to address illegal dumping.
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