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A Takoma Park business owner says trash is causing him to lose customers.
TAKOMA PARK, Md. — Some residents and business owners in Takoma Park say illegal dumping is getting bad, with one business owner saying he’s losing customers because of it.
The owner of the Mid Atlantic Seafood restaurant on New Hampshire Avenue says it smells and looks bad, and customers are constantly complaining.
“They leave all the trash bags. Smells so bad. There are so many flies around the trash. Customers complain about the trash,” says the business owner.
Residents in the area have also complained. They say that the city assists with clean-ups from time to time and even holds clean-up events, however, it's not enough. Despite the "no dumping" sign in the area, residents feel like it's only getting worse.
Takoma Police have installed a surveillance camera to prevent dumping, but it has only lessened the issue, not resolved it. The business owner says people sneak out at night and dump trash right outside of his business.
“Sometimes , they leave the trash inside the parking lot. In our dumpster. I have to clean that up and it’s an inconvenience,” says the business owner.
He says this is an ongoing issue that he has been complaining about for years. He says people have left the restaurant because the smell of trash is so unbearable.
Montgomery Parks officials say they are gathering information on the issue and will provide a statement.
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