New Jersey family says 'clean dirt' purchased from Facebook Marketplace could trigger $100K cleanup

After accepting "free clean dirt" from a Facebook Marketplace listing, a New Jersey family said it was left with contaminated construction fill on its property and a potential cleanup bill of up to $100,000.

Here's what to know

According to a post to Reddit's r/LegalAdvice community, the family arranged for the 'free clean dirt' to be dropped off in February 2024 after seeing listing photos that made the soil look clean.

But as the original poster explained, "Instead of a small delivery, somewhere around 5+ dump trucks showed up and unloaded material full of bricks, broken concrete, and construction debris… The trucks left and the guy became very hard to reach after that."

The family said the township later stepped in and began requiring paperwork, countless court appearances, expensive testing, and a deep analysis of the soil. That testing, the poster said, found contamination in the material and led to removal estimates ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.

Thankfully, the family also said it saved records connected to the delivery, including emails from the person who arranged it, photos of the trucks and license plates, and a PDF environmental report that "turned out to be a report for an unrelated commercial construction site."

Commenters urged the family to seek professional help.

One wrote, "For the amount at stake, I'd talk to a local attorney who deals with property damage/environmental contamination. This is beyond Reddit/DIY territory… Do not wait on this."

Another added, "It sounds like the contractor may have been deliberately evading regulatory responsibility which could raise to the level of criminal violation… I'd start with your regional EPA office."

More background

Fill from construction or demolition sites can contain debris, pollutants, or other contaminants that trigger enforcement by local and state authorities.

In situations like this, the fill can become a public health, environmental, and financial issue tied to soil testing, remediation, and proper disposal. 

If contaminated soil is suspected, contact qualified local professionals quickly. Environmental attorneys, licensed consultants, and municipal officials can help determine what testing, reporting, and cleanup steps are required.

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