On their small farm outside Robstown, Robert and Gail Trimble built a quiet life surrounded by the animals they love — chickens, two donkeys and an American Drum horse named Charlie. Robert runs his diesel mechanic business out of the barn. “This was so beautiful for us… we had been so blessed by God,” he said.
That peace fractured on a February afternoon when 48 tons of used blasting sand were dumped on the property next door by L & R Services, their neighbor. The sand originated from ARC Energy, an oil and gas equipment fabricator that uses blasting material to strip paint and coatings. ARC did not dump the material; L & R Services did — a decision that placed the company at the center of a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigation.
Toxic blasting sand dumped next door shatters rural couple’s peace in Robstown
A TCEQ report found the blasting sand contained metal dust capable of irritating the eyes, skin and respiratory system of both people and animals. Investigators detected dust on the Trimbles’ barn and water trough and matched it to the material dumped next door.
This was not the first time blasting sand had been buried at the site. In 2020, court records show Roy Martini, owner of L & R Services, was charged with a felony for illegally dumping 200 pounds of similar material. The case was dismissed in 2023 after Martini completed a pre-trial diversion agreement…