A local business owner is facing criminal charges after allegedly dumping human waste from commercial septic tanks onto public land in the Cherokee National Forest.

Michael Seth Plasterer, owner of the Cleveland-based business Emergency No More Septic, Drain & More, was arrested in Polk County on July 8. He has been charged with aggravated criminal littering and the unlawful disposal of raw sewage.

The arrest follows an investigation into an incident on August 12, 2025, sparked when U.S. Forest Service officials obtained video footage appearing to show one of Plasterer’s trucks dumping waste along Forest Service Road 302.

Court documents detail several critical findings from the investigation:

• Massive Scale: The volume of commercial waste dumped on public property exceeded 100 pounds (or 30 cubic feet).

• Environmental Threat: Investigators located human waste and toilet paper approximately 358 feet from Parksville Lake and just 165 feet from an unnamed tributary feeding directly into the lake.

• Lack of Permits: Neither Plasterer nor his company held the required permits from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to pump septic systems or dispose of sewage at authorized facilities.

• Pattern of Dumping: Former employees and associates told detectives that septic waste was routinely dumped in the Cherokee National Forest or directly into Cleveland storm drains.

Investigators also noted that Plasterer had recently pumped at least one commercial septic system at Camp Cherokee in Polk County prior to his arrest.

Note: Plasterer remains in custody as legal proceedings move forward in Polk County.