A concerned employee at the University of Memphis contacted UofM President M. David Rudd to report that a on-campus landscaping crew member had blown leaves and other sidewalk debris into street.
The employee claims the incident occurred March 7 on the west side of Zach Curlin Street near the parking garage.
The employee said in their letter the leaves and other debris deposited onto the street could have “easily filled 15-20 lawn & garbage-sized bags.”
According to the Memphis City Ordinance, it is a violation to rake or blow yard waste onto the street, and offenders can be fined.
“Illicit discharge detection and elimination and pollution prevention/good housekeeping” are two of the six requirements the UofM is expected to uphold as members of the Phase II MS4, which is governed by the State of Tennessee National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
Ron Brooks, the associate vice president of the Physical Plant, said the employee’s actions referred to in the letter are not in accordance with their operating procedures, but he also said the assertion that discarding debris into a street is a violation of the Clean Water Act of 1972 is not consistent with his understanding of the law.
“My understanding is the Clean Water Act of 1972 regulates illegal discharge of hazardous materials from any source into the waterways of the U.S.,” Brooks said. “I do not believe the law was intended to apply to leaves and grass clippings, which are compostable.”
Nevertheless, Brooks said Physical Plant management and their stormwater consultant will examine their operating procedures for compliance with all regulatory requirements and make any necessary changes. He said the Physical Plant strives to operate the campus facilities efficiently and effectively in accordance with all environmental and other regulatory requirements.
Ryan Parish, a professor in the Earth Sciences Department and the president of the Noncannah Creek Conservancy, said he thinks awareness is one of the best ways to deal with situations of this nature.
“A lot of the littering incidents that occur within the City of Memphis are contributed to a lack of knowledge,” Parish said. “People who are unaware of the potential contamination of precious resources like water do not take into effect the potential hazards that debris and other harmful minerals can affect the environment.”
Parish said he thinks monetary loss should not be a component of any potential punishment for individuals found guilty of this transgression. Instead, Parish said he thinks these people should be required to work with local environmental groups within the city to gain a first-hand experience of the impact littering has on a community and the environment.
“Hopefully, participators in littering can experience what us environmental advocates fight for on an everyday basis and realize the significance of what they are doing and stop,” Parish added.
On-campus organizations at the UofM such as the Earth Sciences Club participate in numerous clean-up events around Memphis, which include cleaning the banks of various waterways and removing debris from the side of roadways. The Noncannah Creek Conservancy, which Parish presides over, also goes around the city and removes pollution and litter from large embankments.
