Residents look for an end to illegal dumping in Philly, demand more than just cleaning

Community members are looking for an end to illegal dumping on the streets of Philadelphia.

Activists raised their voices at an event on Oct. 3 aimed at getting Mayor Cherelle Parker's attention in order to see more enforcement and prevention efforts.

Activists and community members told NBC10 on Thursday that the Parker Administration's promise of a safer, cleaner, greener Philly has not become a reality for them.

Despite street cleaning, constant illegal dumping in areas like 6th and Allegheny is still a huge problem.

It's a problem neighbors in Fairhill have been dealing with for years and residents are looking for the city to start more prevention and enforcement efforts.

"It comes from all over. Down the street, up the block, down the avenue. They dump. Everybody dumps," Fairhill resident Elizabeth Tirado said.

The ongoing issue of illegal dumping is creating quality of life issues.

"Rats go underneath your car. They eat your cables. You can't even walk the streets," Tirado explained.

According to neighbors and activists looking to combat trash troubles in the area, the mayor's street-sweeping initiative just isn't cutting it.

"I give kudos to the mayor for her 'Clean and Green' but cleaning up is not enough you have to enforce," Trash Academy co-founder Lois Williams said.

Several community groups, like Trash Academy, came together on Thursday for a bizarre type of birthday celebration.

The gathering marked 11 years since streets like those near 6th and Somerset became targets for chronic illegal dumping after the closure of the Fairhill School.

"It becomes normalized. That's why we keep dumping in this neighborhood because nothing's being acknowledged or reinforced," activist Marilyn Rodriguez said.

For their part, city officials told NBC10 that the Parker Administration has been ramping up enforcement.

"While many people don’t believe that there are things in place our law department has prosecuted this year alone, since 2024, over 26 cases of illegal dumpers that lead to $1.4 million in fines back to the city of Philadelphia," Office of Clean and Green director Carlton Williams told NBC10.

Officials also said that they plan on increasing the number of street cameras specifically in places where they get reports of illegal dumping.

As activists push an end to the 24 so-called "Legacy Trash Sites" they've found throughout the city by 2028, officials are trying to accomplish the same thing.

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