NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A sunny and warm November day makes for a perfect walk on a Nashville greenway. However, you don't have to look hard through the tree line for a good walk spoiled.
“All this trash that's destroying the environment,” said Barry Doupnik.
Every few yards, you can see where people have been dumping things along the greenway in Germantown. You can see everything from scrap metal, twisted wire, parts and pieces, lawnmowers, and trash.
“You're seeing stuff piling up hazardous stuff at that you're wondering why is it at this point, it’s an environmental issue that's what it comes down to. It’s crazy,” said Doupnik.
Barry Doupnik knew he couldn't leave it there.
He's a self-proclaimed recycling enthusiast and said he wasn't going to wait for someone else to do something about these piles.
“All this stuff ends up in the woods and the waterways and this will take hundreds of years to decompose in the waterway,” said Doupnik.
It's not an easy task, but every now and then, Doupnik and about 20 volunteers clean up the dump sites even pulling soaked trash and debris from the waterway.
He says there's a homeless camp nearby that makes the problem even worse.
“It’s an environmental issue and people on this pathway are seeing this too,” said Doupnik.
He says for big cleanup days they'll sometimes fill an entire dumpster with trash.
“We’d get a skid steer down here to pull down this debris,” he said.
Doupnik says it's difficult to see such disregard for a natural area he enjoys and says should be preserved. He hopes next time his neighbors and city agencies won’t just walk by a growing dump.
“It affects everyone at some point,” he said.
Metro Water Services said they are aware of the problem and have reported it to the Office of Homeless Services and Metro Police.
If you have more information about this story, please email me at Amanda.Roberts@newschannel5.com.
