MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Neighbors in Orange Mound are asking the City of Memphis to do more tackle illegal dumping.
On block after block, our cameras Tuesday found piles of tossed furniture, electronics and other bulk trash.
"We want our neighborhood to look just as well as somebody else's," Sharron Griffin said, who alerted ABC24 about the issue.
Griffin takes pride and passion in keeping her neighborhood clean. Yet, time and time again, Griffin reports illegal dumping to Memphis Code Enforcement, a mess piling up on surrounding blocks.
"When you've got so much trash it just brings other people you know into our community that are less desirable," Griffin added.
On top of that, Griffin said dumpers return to toss out more bulky trash not long after city crews clean it up and roll out.
"Very frustrating, if you were out here in my shoes what would you be doing?" Griffin said. "We are out here in this world we are living together, so we've got to keep it clean."
"We have a lot of older people here that are here from way back and they just feel like they are trapped," Marseon Calhoun added.
More help will be on the way later this year, when the Memphis City Council is expected to approve a newly added illegal dumping team with 17 people and new equipment to take on and clean up more dumping areas more quickly.
"From the investigation to the cleanup, again, it's all in that one area, so it makes it much more seamless, a lot more efficient, a lot more effective and ultimately more timely," City of Memphis Public Works Director Robert Knecht said.
Knecht also told the Memphis City Council cameras can also be moved if needed.
"If an area has a frequent issue of illegal dumping, they'll scout it out, identify if there is a suitable location to put a camera that can be put in covertly and they'll will use that to capture that offending issue," Knecht added.
Griffin hopes those cameras are in or will soon be keeping an eye in Orange Mound. She's also asking her fellow Memphians do their part.
"It makes it look really really bad so what we need to do as people is if we see someone dumping report it," Griffin said.