MEMPHIS, Tenn. — People living in a Raleigh neighborhood were fed up with all the dumping and littering in their area and wanted answers.
They said they’re a target for illegal dumpers and litterers on Hawkins Mill Road off New Allen Road.
Since WREG contacted the city about the problem, they said they planned to do something about it.
WREG spotted all the trash on our way to a story, but neighbors said they have to deal with litter everyday.
We drove the road for two miles and found the trash spanned throughout the area.
“It looks like everybody is using it for their garbage can,” said Lynn Johnston, who lived off the road.
A garbage can is pretty much the best way to describe what a long stretch of Hawkins Mill Road has turned into.
“There’s couches, bedclothes, clothing, suitcases and purses,” said Johnston.
She said the discarded cups, bottles, tires and food isn’t just bad to look at, it can be dangerous.
“It draws the stray dogs up here. That’s kinda scary cause you never know when ones going to bite you,” she explained.
WREG talked to several people, like Cedric Bradley, who said they’ve contacted the city about the filth multiple times.
“Every now and then they send a vacuum truck but that’s like once a year and once they send the truck out people just do it again,” said Bradley.
On Thursday WREG questioned the city again.
They said they’re aware of the problem and have been out trying to clean the area up.
They said they have cameras up around Memphis monitoring for litter bugs but refused to say where because it could encourage people to look for other places to dump.
The city said they planned to go back to Hawkins Mill Road Friday to pick up more trash.
Bradley said he just wanted his neighborhood clean.
“It brings the value of a house down and a neighborhood down and its a very good neighborhood. I love the neighborhood,” he said.
The City of Memphis said they encourage everyone to call their 24-hour Littering Motoring Hotline if you see people improperly disposing of trash.
That number is 522-5326.
To report illegal dumping you can also dial 311 from your smartphone or 636-6500 from a landline.
