Ship Cove resident Stan Tobin says a contractor dumped asphalt and old pavement in a field in the community, and he wants it cleaned up. Ship Cove resident Stan Tobin says a contractor dumped asphalt and old pavement in a field in the community, and he wants it cleaned up. (CBC)

A resident of the tiny community of Ship Cove, in Newfoundland's Placentia Bay, is not happy with the paving work done on the road outside his business.

Stan Tobin said he has no problem with the quality of the job, but rather what construction crews did with the leftover asphalt: It's been dumped in a nearby gravel pit.

"You know, if anyone thinks that they're gonna get away with this in my backyard," Tobin said, "they've got another thing coming."

Tobin said the mostly chunks of pavement and one mound of asphalt that has since hardened are an eyesore that wouldn't be tolerated in St. John's.

Contractor Richard Ryan promises the large chunks of pavement will be removed early next week. Contractor Richard Ryan promises the large chunks of pavement will be removed early next week. (CBC)

"Can you imagine this scenario: me taking two or three tandem truckloads of garbage, regardless of whether it's asphalt or anything else, and dumping it off in Bowring Park," Tobin said, referring to a popular park within the city. "I'd be in jail that evening."

It's upsetting because it's not the first time contractors and highway crews have left road material behind, Tobin said. In the past, the crews have dumped asphalt in a big pile and then covered it with dirt, he said.

"There's no environmental conscience there. If we saw a similar thing in Corner Brook, or St. John's, or Carbonear, or some place, I mean, there would be outrage."

The contractor who paved the road, Richard Ryan, said his company will remove the asphalt by early next week.

Ryan said his paving crew temporarily dumped the old asphalt that was removed from the road during resurfacing in the gravel pit because with less daylight every day, workers are running out of time to complete the paving project.

The removal has also been delayed because a part broke on an excavator and it hasn't been repaired yet, he said.

"It will be cleaned up between Monday and Tuesday," Ryan told CBC News on Thursday, "and yesterday we couldn't get no parts anyway, because of the holiday."

Ryan said all the waste asphalt will be brought to a recycler to be processed.