Trash Me

Those criticisms aren't really something that can be answered. How about some more direct questions with concrete examples?

After trash day, the streets are a filthy mess and not because residents don't properly bag trash (although that is also true). The mess is often created by the trash collectors. Why can't they leave our streets cleaner? Pick up the debris that they scatter. Send a street sweeper after the trash truck. Send clean-up crews!

Why do we receive contradictory answers from the Streets Department? Recently someone illegally dumped debris near my house, including an old tire on a rim. The Streets Department said they wouldn't take away the tire because it was on a rim. Eventually the tire just disappeared but the rest of the debris is there. Whose job is it to pick up illegally dumped debris, all of it, and not just random categories of debris?

MB

Who do I contact to get blue recycling buckets? Also, who do I contact to get signs posted on my street which say, "Please pick up after your dog."?

Actually, the reality is, most people on my street are VERY careless about bagging and tie-ing up their trash. I've lived in 2 areas of the city - Powelton Village (lots of Drexel students) and in the Italian Market - and in both areas, most people are careless and cavalier about their trash. Unbagged trash or very full unbagged trash bags are common. The Drexel students were egregiously bad: they would universally dump unbagged trash onto the sidewalk as if the sidewalk were a landfill. The end of the trimester or year would predictably result in the appearance of mountains of trash, furniture, household items, junk, and on some occasions, pets onto the sidewalk.

In the Italian Market area, there is a different mindset, particularly of an older generation. These more "mature individuals" are very proud of industriously sweeping up street trash and meticulously shoving this accumulated trash down storm drains.

So, my last question: is anything being done to educate residents about the responsible way to deliver trash to the sidewalk?

In other major cities, you always see MUNICIPAL (not private) street sweepers cleaning the city every day. Their streets are clean and kept clean.

When was the last time you saw a Streets Department street sweeper cleaning Philadelphia's streets? Never! Clearly, the job is not getting done, as evidenced by the litter epidemic in Philadelphia.

So just what are they doing all day? Maybe Inspector General Seth Williams needs to look into this.

I recently called 215-686-5560, and a real live person never picked up the phone, which continued to ring and ring with no automated answer.

Having worked for the Streets Department for 8 years, before leaving in January, I can tell you where the blame should lay. The workers are mostly dedicated, but due to union rules, punishment is rarely handed out. Also, the department is very understaffed and under budgeted. The city's truck fleet is the oldest in the nation and on any given day there are dozens sitting in the sanitation yards wasting away. The last issue in the department is the management - The new mayor will hopefully address this and make the neccessary changes needed. In a City that is shrinking and budgets worsening, these issues will continue manafest themselves.