Brief Overview & History of Complaints

Residents in District One have been fighting illegal dumping for a long time, and have been successful in a few notable cases (Bells Bend Park, Bordeaux), but with so much ongoing construction in Nashville, the problem of properly disposing of construction waste is quite literally being dumped on District One. 

Properties investigated on the News Channel 4 story that aired Nov. 2025:

• 5250 ASHLAND CITY HWY (Dirt Mountain)

• 4934 OLD HICKORY BLVD (Hargrove)

• 5795 OLD HICKORY BLVD (OHB/Blueberry Hill)

• 5880 ASHLAND CITY HWY

Here is a map of all the dump sites we know of at the moment

Some residents in the Bells Bend / Scottsboro area have actually followed some of the offending trucks back to Metro construction sites (Metro Water, Meharry, 430 Myatt Drive, a MTA property according to Parcel Viewer)

More  are popping up all the time because it is cheaper to dump illegally than follow proper regulations. The Boring Company project will have massive amounts of materials to dispose of, and we are worried about where all that construction waste will go. Boring Company Vice President David Buss assured us at a community meeting that waste would go to “Licensed and permitted landfills.” (See that clip and more from the same meeting.) 

Legal Clarification: Landfills and grading permits

1. A Construction/Demolition Waste Landfill must have Metro council approval to operate (Nashville code 17.16.110 Land Use Development Standards)
   Demolition and Construction waste, as defined by Metro Codes, is " waste materials from the demolition, remodeling, repair and construction of residential, industrial, or commercial structures or from road building" and includes: bricks, concrete, soil, rock and lumber, road spoils and paving material. (Nashville Metro Codes, 10.20.010) 

2.  A grading permit is NOT a landfill permit.
   Nashville Metro Stormwater Management as amended in August 2024 states,
   “No part of this subsection shall be construed as permitting landfills as defined and regulated by federal or state law.” (15.64.140)

3.  These dumps ARE disposing of construction and demolition waste and none of them are approved landfills.

4.  “Use” vs “Dispose”

Some waste materials can be reused for construction fill - to level a site such as for roadbeds, driveways, building pads - but that doesn't mean you can dispose (not use) of such in a landfill. 

The landowner claims a “use”, such as grading for a house, but is never held accountable when that is clearly untrue. So they make money operating a landfill under the false claim they're grading for a house or farm that never materializes. 

5. Agriculture exemption does not apply: dumps far exceed the 100 cubic yard limit– not to mention the fact no agricultural use is being implemented.

• It's important to clarify that lack of enforcement does not equal legality. Hopefully we get the city on board to start enforcement through this process. 

• Codes and storm water are quick to explain some of these dumps are agriculturally exempt, but then they do not enforce their own written rules and limits. Landfills do not equal agriculture. These are construction dumps. Even if they WERE agriculture, they are egregiously abusing the limits in place for such exemptions.

Codes and regulations referenced in our letter. And a TDEC response that contradicts “soil and rock” as being exempt from the definition of construction waste.

Hazards of truck traffic, mud on the road, yards and streams

1. Mix of mud and debris on the road plus constant dump truck traffic creating dangerous driving & cycling conditions (see photos of Hargrove dump 4934 Old Hickory Blvd)

2. When it rains, muddy water pours from dump sites onto road, neighboring yards, and streams.

3. Muddy water entering streams smothers aquatic animals and wildlife. 

4. Even if they are dumping mostly semi-inert construction waste, there are some contaminants involved. Petroleum constituents, metals, PFAs have been detected in lab-tested samples.

What you can do

• Call or write a letter: Send a letter to Nashville council members (add your name and address to this template or write your own.)

• Display a Dump the Dumps yard sign (some will be available at the March 15 meeting)

• Document dumping, muddy water from dump sites (with date and address) email to b2bbcorridor@gmail.com or add to Facebook group: Dump the Dumps

• Join our Dump the Dumps Coalition. Sign up and find out more involved ways to fight illegal dumping. This may mean water sample collection, photo documentation, attending more meetings and/or sharing resources.

Letter to Metro Council Members & Mayor Freddie, and Metro Codes Department:

When the topic of construction waste in Nashville comes up I often hear the phrase “Well, it has to go somewhere.”

That “somewhere” seems to be illegal dumps in my neighborhood. The Bells Bend / Scottsboro community is not just “somewhere” for waste to be improperly disposed of; it is a vital green space and conservation district tucked within the Nashville Highland Rim Forest. And it is being treated like an open dumping ground. 

There are illegal dumps at 4193 Bull Run Rd, 4934 Old Hickory Blvd, 5250 Ashland City Hwy, 5795 Old Hickory Blvd, 5856 Old Hickory Blvd and more are popping up all the time, the problem goes beyond our neighborhood, beyond our district.

Many of these dump sites have been cited by codes and even featured in news stories (Rubble Trouble, Nashville Scene May 2024, Illegal landfill shutdown raises concerns about similar operations in Davidson County) yet the problem persists. 

The mix of dirt and debris on the road is not only a nuisance, it makes driving and cycling dangerous. When it rains, muddy water pours from dump sites onto road, neighboring yards, and streams. Muddy water entering streams smothers aquatic animals and wildlife. Even if the dumped materials are mostly semi-inert construction waste, there are still some contaminants involved. Petroleum constituents, metals, PFAs have been detected in lab-tested samples.

None of these dumps operate with a landfill permit. Some have a grading permit, which they claim allows the dumping of inert material. This is a misinterpretation of the current codes and Metro regulations.

1. A Construction/Demolition Waste Landfill must have Metro council approval to operate (Nashville code 17.16.110 Land Use Development Standards)
   Demolition and Construction waste, as defined by Metro Codes, is " waste materials from the demolition, remodeling, repair and construction of residential, industrial, or commercial structures or from road building" and includes: bricks, concrete, soil, rock and lumber, road spoils and paving material. (Nashville Metro Codes, 10.20.010) 
   

2.  A grading permit is NOT a landfill permit.
   Nashville Metro Stormwater Management as amended in August 2024 states,
   “No part of this subsection shall be construed as permitting landfills as defined and regulated by federal or state law.” (15.64.140)
   

3.  These dumps ARE disposing of construction and demolition waste and none of them are approved landfills.
   

4.  “Use” vs “Dispose”
   Some waste materials can be reused for construction fill - to level a site such as for roadbeds, driveways, building pads - but that doesn't mean you can dispose (not use) of such in a landfill. 

The landowner claims a “use”, such as grading for a house, but is never held accountable when that is clearly untrue. So they make money operating a landfill under the false claim they're grading for a house or farm that never materializes.

The laws and regulations are in place, yet nothing changes. What will it take to get enforcement on this issue?