GRADY COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - It may be a new year, but residents in Grady County say they're still fighting the same problem.
Ever since the Cairo city landfill closed, the trash problem has been growing.
"Trash accumulating next to the roads making it unsafe for anyone to drop off trash anywhere in the county," said Grady County resident Michael Mitchell.
Residents in Grady County said they are fed up with local landfills.
Mitchell said he has been dealing with overflowing landfill for more than a year now and it's an eyesore.
"It looks so nasty everywhere you go in Grady County to drop off trash. There are several spots where trash is out near the highway, trash outside of dumpsters," said Mitchell.
Mitchell is not the only one upset. Dawn Ponder lives across the street from one of the trash areas. She said it's not just ugly, but dangerous as well.
"Not only is it just trash but it's wood, furniture. It's glass. It's everything. You step out in flip flops and you might cut your foot. Who knows," said Ponder.
Mayor of Cairo, Booker T. Gainor, said the real problem started when Cairo closed its landfill a couple months ago.
"It kind of made the county have to find another place to take their trash. And in doing so, some dumpsters were cut out," said Gainor.
Because there are now fewer dump sites, dumpsters divers have limited options.
"Morning, day, and night you can go by and find someone in the dumpster," said Mitchell.
One thing that residents think might help is if the landfill was patrolled by a worker who could tell people where to dump their items.
In order for that to happen, the Grady County Board of Commission would have to approve the decision to hire a worker.
