MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local nonprofit is taking a stand, tired of the excessive illegal dumping and littering we see in Memphis.
A beat-up car, empty beer bottles, broken glass — the mess is building at the corner of Coppock and Marble in North Memphis.
“I’d say they clean it about once a year and then it gets right back the way it is,” said Matthew Loveless works at the pallet shop next door.
It’s an issue Dr. Yvonne Nelson, with nonprofit My ZIP, looks to fix.
“Memphis should really be ashamed of itself,” Nelson said.
The group, founded last year, targets the excessive illegal dumping and littering we see in the city.
“It just hurts me to my heart to go outside and travel places and see mattresses and furniture dumped on the side of the road. To see garbage bags just dumped on the side of highways,” Nelson said.
Nelson knows more needs to be done than issue fines and warnings to those doing the dumping.
“It definitely is going to require some educational components,” Nelson said.
Some of that education starts with those sick of seeing the trash.
Thursday night, her group will host a virtual Zoom meeting called “Development Drop the Dumping.”
Nelson believes that with collaboration, change can be made.
“Let’s work together to make Memphis the beautiful city we all know it can be,” Nelson said.
If you’re interested in the My Zip meeting Thursday, it’s at 7:00 p.m. You can also call in by phone. Upcoming meetings are listed below.
My ZIP is asking residents to text “Icare” to 64600 when they see illegal dumping happening or come across a dumping site. The text will send a link to upload pictures and additional information.
Everything is or will be available online at dimans.org/my-zip. Information is also available by emailing myzip463@gmail.com or phoning (901) 300-0461.
As far as the dumping site in North Memphis, the City of Memphis released a statement on the dumping Thursday evening:
“An inspection of the site was completed today. A notice to correct was sent to the owner Mr. Ben Malone with (7) days to correct the violations. City ordinance requires private property owners to secure their property in efforts to prevent acts of illegal dumping and aggressive littering. We are evaluating this location to determine whether an illegal dumping surveillance camera is needed.”