State audit finds hundreds of NC former landfill sites uninvestigated; several in the Cape Fear

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new state audit is raising concerns about potential environmental hazards at hundreds of former landfill sites across North Carolina, finding that most have never been investigated despite many being located near homes, schools and drinking water sources.

The audit from the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor examined the Department of Environmental Quality’s Pre-Regulatory Landfill Program, which was established in 2007 to address non-industrial landfills and dumps that operated before modern regulations took effect in 1983.

According to the audit, more than 680 former landfill sites have been identified statewide where waste disposal occurred without regulatory oversight. Of those, more than 530 — about 78% — have never been investigated by DEQ.

State Auditor Dave Boliek said many of the sites are located close to places where people live and gather.

“These pre-regulated landfill sites contain a wide variety of potential toxic materials,” Boliek said.

The audit found that 84% of the identified landfill sites are within 1,000 feet of homes, schools, daycares, churches or drinking water wells.

One of the highest-risk sites currently under investigation is the former Burnt Mill Creek Landfill in Wilmington. Although the property is now overgrown, state officials say it ranks among the sites with the greatest potential for contamination.

An interactive map maintained by DEQ shows hundreds of other sites across North Carolina that have not yet been investigated, including several in the Cape Fear region.

Boliek said the audit recommends reevaluating the program and increasing resources to assess the remaining sites.

“What needs to occur according to our findings are, one, a fresh look at the program itself. Two, a new emphasis on funding an appropriately sized and effective unit to go out and assess these risks,” Boliek said.

In a statement to WWAY, a DEQ spokesperson said the agency remains committed to protecting the public from potential landfill hazards but acknowledged funding limitations.

“DEQ is committed to using the resources at its disposal to protect people from potential harmful exposure from landfills. As the audit report noted, the funding available to the program falls significantly short of what is needed to address the remaining sites. The report’s $1 billion estimated cost is nearly nine times the Department’s annual budget. We appreciate the audit’s recognition that the program’s work so far represents ‘meaningful progress and a clear public benefit’ amid these resource constraints. Since March 2025, DEQ has been engaged in a robust public notification effort for owners of properties containing pre-regulatory landfill sites. Given available funding, DEQ will continue to address sites addressed in priority order. “

Boliek said he hopes the audit encourages DEQ to take a more proactive approach to identifying and evaluating potential risks.

“I mean, this is a program that’s been in existence almost 20 years now, and we have 78% of the identified sites that haven’t even been investigated,” he said.