MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Westwood woman’s yard is finally trash-free after waiting weeks for garbage collection.
Mary Banks said the garbage had been piling up outside her home on Pawnee Avenue for the past nine weeks.
Banks says she’s had trash collection issues in the past, but she’s always been able to solve the problem by calling the city’s 311 line. But Banks says this time has been different.
“This time, I even talked to a supervisor after calling several times to the 311 and nobody has picked (it) up,” said Banks.
Banks says the supervisor told her someone would be by her home to pick up the trash by Friday, June 20, but the garbage was still lining the curb outside her home when Banks called us on Wednesday, June 25.
“This is too frustrating, because it’s like sending me in circles and nothing’s being done,” said Banks.
“I’ve been living in this neighborhood for a long, long, long time and I normally try to keep my property up,” said Banks, “but how can I do it when I’ve got all this laying here?”
Late Wednesday afternoon, after Banks called WREG and we reached out to the city, sanitation crews stopped by her home and picked up the trash.
A spokesperson with the City of Memphis said records show that banks did not submit a 311 service request for missed collections until June 6, but confirmed in a statement that the garbage had been removed.
City crews have now removed the curbside debris from this location. Please note that bulk trash collections can be more challenging during the spring and summer months due to increased volume.
As a reminder, the city offers a Convenience Centers where residents can drop off bulk waste.
Collins Yard Convenience Center, 304 Collins Street
Arlenia Cole, Media Affairs Manager, City of Memphis
Open: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Excluding Holidays
