Businesses have called for more action to be taken after piles of dumped rubbish bags have been left outside their shops - attracting rats and flies.
The owner of a DIY and homeware shop, who wishes to remain anonymous, said rubbish had been left outside his shop in Tunstall, Stoke - which is "unattractive" and a "health hazard".
The 32-year-old said there are two trade waste bins used by nearby business in the street - but when they become full and overflowing people have been leaving multiple bin bags full of waste on the floor.
He wants Stoke-on-Trent City Council to come down harder on the people leaving the rubbish on the street
The businessman claimed he has reported the rubbish to the council three times, but nothing has been done, StokeOnTrent reported.
He feels like the council "aren't bothered".
He said: "They're filling the bins up until they're getting full and instead of getting them emptied, they're just dumping more bin bags on the floor.
"There's flies all around it and I've had customers coming to us saying how disgusting it is.
"Some customers have said they've seen rats. You can smell it from up the road.
"The bins need to be emptied when they get full. It's all food stuff being dumped, that's why it stinks, it's terrible.
"It's a health hazard, I've got kids and I walk past with my daughter when we're going to the shop and there's countless flies, it's just horrible.
"I've spoken to the council and they say they've logged it, they'll pass it on to the relevant department and that's it, we don't hear anything. No one has been out and it's been happening for about six months now.
"It's not a good look and it's starting to affect our business. We've had customers who have complained saying they've rung the council themselves, they're disgusted by it, but you ring the council and nothing is done.
"Surely it can't be legal just throwing rubbish in the street. They should be fined and then they won't do it again, but nothing is being done."
The shop owner said he was currently in the process of converting the downstairs of his shop into a bigger premises for his store.
He has lived in Tunstall all his life and wants to make the town better, but said the rubbish is not a good look.
He added: "The rubbish is out in front of everyone driving or walking in and out of Tunstall.
"People coming to Tunstall will see a big pile of rubbish, it doesn't look good for the town.
"We're currently in the top floor of our property and we're currently in the process of opening downstairs, we're tidying it up and cleaning it up, but it stinks outside.
"When we open up downstairs we will have customers coming in through the door, but it will stink, it's going to make our business stink.
"I don't think the council are bothered, we would have at least heard something back if they were bothered.
"I've always lived in Tunstall, over the last so many years it has gone down bank and we're opening a big shop trying to bring life back to the town, but we've got this stink.
"We pay a lot of money on rates and the council just do nothing, it's disappointing."
Cllr Carl Edwards, cabinet member for housing and environment, said: "We will speak to the owner of the business to make sure that they have sufficient arrangements in place to dispose of the waste they generate.
"It is not acceptable to dump bags of rubbish at the side of the bins – this can attract vermin and flies – as well as looking unsightly to visitors and shoppers to the town.
"If the contracted waste disposal company does not remove the bags as 'side waste' when the bins are emptied, we will treat this as fly-tipping and take the necessary enforcement action."
