South Philly neighborhoods will see an increase in trash pickups in an effort to clean up the city.
Mayor Cherelle Parker made the announcement during a visit to 21st and Wharton streets in South Philly’s Point Breeze neighborhood on Dec. 3. The mayor announced that residents living in areas between Callowhill Street and Pattison Avenue, between the Schuylkill Expressway and Delaware Avenue, will now see twice-a-week trash pickups, doubling the opportunity for residents to have unwanted items taken away.
This effort arrived as a result of a partnership with the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives and the Department of Sanitation, which aims to enhance waste management and improve neighborhood cleanliness across the city.
“We are continuing to expand Clean and Green initiatives thanks to intergovernmental and interagency collaboration,” said Parker. “Under the tremendous leadership of Director Carlton Williams and Sanitation Commissioner Crystal Jacobs Shipman, the city has cleaned almost 40,000 city blocks and neighborhood commercial corridors and that number continues to grow daily. We will not stop until we’ve got rid of the filthy moniker ‘Filthadelphia’ once and for all.”
This effort, which began Dec. 2, is the first phase. More neighborhoods throughout the city will be part of an expanded second phase, which is expected to begin in the fall of 2025.
Phase 1 boundaries were selected for twice-weekly collections due to their high population density, numerous multi-family residences and limited waste storage capacity, according to officials. City officials said limited storage options in the area have historically led to illegal dumping and searching for alternative trash disposal methods, underscoring the need for this targeted effort. The selected boundaries also align with the Sanitation Department’s current fleet capabilities, as acquiring and delivering new trucks typically requires 18-24 months.
“The Office of Clean and Green Initiatives is excited to support Mayor Parker’s vision of creating a government that residents can see, touch and feel,” Williams said. “Over the years, we have seen an increase in residential illegal dumping. Implementing twice-per-week trash collections will help reduce this issue. We recognize that some areas of the city have limited storage space, and more frequent pickups will help to relieve the burden of storing trash inside homes.”
Residents now receiving twice-a-week pickups may set out up to eight bags, four containers and two compactable household items per collection.
Residents who have a normal pickup day of Monday will now have Monday and Thursdays. Normal Tuesday pickups will now be Tuesday and Friday. Normal Wednesday pickup areas will be Wednesday and Saturday. Normal Thursday pickups will be Thursday and Monday. Normal Friday pickups will be Friday and Tuesday. No recyclables will be accepted on the added trash days. Residents should continue to put out recyclables on their originally scheduled trash day. Mixing recyclables with trash during the second collection is prohibited, and fines will be issued for violations. Additionally, there will be no second collection during City-observed holiday weeks.
“The Department of Sanitation spends nearly $1.5 million each year cleaning up illegally dumped material,” Shipman said. “Twice-a-week trash collections provide a more convenient trash solution for residents, besides taking their materials to a Sanitation Convenience Center or setting trash on city corners and vacant lots.”
