Parts of Center City and South Philly will have twice-a-week trash collection days starting next month as part of the city's larger efforts for cleaner streets.
The additional garbage pick-ups will begin Monday, Dec. 2 from Callowhill Street to Pattison Avenue between the Schuylkill Expressway (30th Street) and Delaware Avenue. The Department of Sanitation says that increasing frequency in densely populated communities should help combat illegal dumping.
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The program will expand in the fall of 2025, adding a second collection day to other parts of the city. Residents in the areas with twice-a-week pick-ups will have their additional collection day half a week after their first.
For example, those with a Monday trash day have another on Thursday. First collection days on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will result in second days on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, respectively. There will be no second pick-up days on holiday weeks.
The first collection day will take both trash and recycling, while the second will only pick up trash. Residents can leave out eight bags, four containers and two household compactable items (i.e. sofas and wrapped mattresses) per collection.
Throughout the rest of November, the city will host virtual community meetings to elaborate on the new program and answer questions. The remaining sessions will be on Nov. 18 at 11 a.m., Nov. 19 at 10 a.m., Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. and Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. People can join in through Zoom.
According to the Department of Sanitation, complaints about illegal dumping make up for most common calls to the city's 311 non-emergency hotline.
Mayor Cherelle Parker included an investment of $11 million over five years for twice-a-week trash collections in her budget proposal earlier this year.
The city established an Office of Clean and Green Initiatives and carried out a citywide cleaning program for over 18,000 residential blocks in the summer. The Department of Sanitation also began allowing residents to set appointments for bulk trash pick-ups.
