Huge pile of trash dumped in Riverwest upsets neighbors: 'It looks terrible'

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee neighborhood was turned into a dumping ground. Riverwest residents say junk started piling up days ago at the corner of Booth and Clarke Streets.

Neighbors say it was cleaned up by City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works' crews Thursday morning, March 8. But ultimately, experts say the city wasn't responsible for the cleanup.

"It looks terrible. It makes this part of the city look terrible," said Zachery Voit, neighbor.

Neighbor Zachery Voit says, the corner became a dumping ground earlier this week.

"It's unsafe," said Voit. "Handicap people can't get through on the sidewalk, that's for sure."

Voit, and residents in the building were thrilled when the DPW crews came to clean up.

"Find the right disposal, put it in the right place," said Joe Wilson, with Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful.

Joe Wilson, the Executive Director of "Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful," says sadly this time of year, trash piles up and that's a big problem. Wilson reminds us, Milwaukee's Great American Cleanup kicks off in April.

"We organize over 57,000 volunteers to participate annually in the cleanup of the city," Wilson said.

Ultimately, Wilson says if illegal dumping occurs, it's the proper owner's responsibility to clean it up.

FOX6 News reached out to the building's management company. A representative would not disclose who owns the building but says, a contractor was trying to do repairs on the roof but weather delayed the project. As a result, a dumpster sat there for weeks and passerby's started chucking their own junk in the spot.

"Illegal dumping is a problem in our city -- especially in vacant lots. So we want more and more citizens to be vigilant about that and call it in," Wilson said.

You can anonymously tip off the city if illegal dumping occurs.

What's also alarming, how much of the junk on the sidewalk that's going to the dump could have been recycled.

If you'd like to organize a litter cleanup through Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, CLICK HERE.

To become a site coordinator with Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, CLICK HERE.