By 2035, reduce annual illegal dumping collections by 50% citywide.

Philadelphians deserve to live in neighborhoods free of illegally dumped waste and trash. Consistently ranked among the top concerns of residents is the presence of trash and illegal dumping in neighborhoods. Each year, Philadelphia’s Streets Department removes 5,000 to 7,000 tons of illegally dumped waste. This problem disproportionately impacts communities that for generations have withstood significant environmental burdens and socio-economic vulnerability.

Beyond the environmental and community benefits to cleaning up, reducing waste, and preventing dumping, there are also opportunities for community improvements. For example, abandoned properties and neglected public land that are destinations for chronic dumping are often hidden gems with the potential to become public parks, community gardens, and places for recreational programming.

To improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods, we have prioritized a reduction in illegal dumping.

We recognize that there are many ways that organizations and communities can contribute to advancing this objective and are looking for Philadelphians’ best ideas about how to accomplish this in neighborhoods across the city, especially in locations that have documented particularly high levels of illegal dumping.

We measure progress for this objective through analysis of City reporting on the annual tons of illegally dumped waste that is removed by the Philadelphia Streets Department and other City agencies.