Philly launches twice-a-week trash collection program in North Philly
Philadelphia is expanding it’s Twice-A-Week Trash Collection Program and, on Monday, city officials gathered to celebrate the second phase of a program that aims to eventually bring bi-weekly garbage pickup to all Philly residents.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and other city leaders attended an official launch event for the initiative at 2 p.m. on 300 East Somerset Street.
“Today, we are advancing the One Philly, United City Cleaning Initiative by introducing Phase 2 of twice-a-week trash collections,” Parker said. “South Philly and Center City residents were the first to receive the program under the Parker Administration, and now North Philadelphia is up next. And we will not stop until we’ve got rid of the filthy moniker ‘Filthadelphia’.”
Announced last year, phase two of the program will see areas of North Philadelphia as part of the Twice-A-Week Trash Collection Program.
The program, officials noted, is part of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s One Philly, United City Cleaning Initiative that looks to prevent litter and illegal trash dumping across the city.
Starting Monday, communities within these boundaries will be able to get trash collection twice-per-week:
- Vine Street to Hunting Park Avenue and from Broad Street to the Schuylkill River
- Vine Street to Glenwood Avenue and from Broad Street to the Delaware River
With this move, residents within these boundaries, city officials said, will be able to put out up to eight bags, or four 32-gallon containers, of trash as well as two household compactable items (a sofa, furniture, wrapped mattress or a box spring) each collection day.
The new schedule will be:
According to Carlton Williams, the director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives, the program in South Philly has been a success, with data showing a 20% reduction in calls to report illegal dumping since trash began getting picked up twice a week.
“We are looking for similar results in the North Philadelphia area which is larger and more populous,” Williams said. “In recent years, residential illegal dumping has increased, and introducing twice-weekly trash collection in areas known to have high indices of litter and illegal dumping challenges will help address these issues.”
However, officials said, recycling collection will still only happen once a week on the first collection day of the week.
And, officials warned, fines could be issued if recyclable materials are discovered in trash pick-ups on the second collection dates.
Residents are expected to put trash on the curb between 5 p.m. – in fall and winter months — and 7 p.m. — in spring and summer months — on the night before trash pick up or at 7 a.m. on the day of trash pick up, officials said.
For more information on the program and the next phases planned, click here.
