WHEREAS, All Philadelphia residents deserve to live in clean, safe, and thriving neighborhoods, free from the harmful effects of illegal dumping, which degrades the environment, compromises public health, and diminishes the quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Neighborhood groups, place-based organizations, and individual residents across the City tirelessly work to maintain clean communities but are often undermined by recurring incidents of littering and illegal dumping, particularly in underserved neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Illegal dumping disproportionately affects Philadelphia's least-served neighborhoods, where waste collection practices are inadequate, and resources to combat illegal dumping are scarce; and
WHEREAS, The City's illegal dumping hotspots remain persistent problems, with incidents ranging from discarded tires to piles of construction debris, causing neighborhoods to suffer from environmental degradation and contributing to what can be described as ecological violence; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia residents have long endured delayed or unfulfilled responses to illegal dumping removal requests, leaving communities vulnerable to ongoing health and environmental hazards; and
WHEREAS, According to studies conducted by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Philadelphia spends $48 million annually on clean-up-related activities, with 88% of the budget allocated toward abatement rather than prevention or enforcement; and
WHEREAS, A need for increased focus on prevention and enforcement can help address illegal dumping, breaking the cycle of neglect and waste in the City's most vulnerable areas; and
WHEREAS, Residents have expressed concerns that the City's hundreds of dumping-related cameras have not significantly curbed illegal dumping, potentially due to limited staff capacity, with only five employees reviewing footage as of last spring; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative to investigate and address the long-standing issue of illegal dumping through more effective policies, stronger enforcement measures, and preventative solutions that support the City's goal of creating clean, sustainable communities for all residents; and
WHEREAS, A comprehensive approach to combating illegal dumping, including increased funding for waste diversion and management, waste collection, education on proper disposal, stricter penalties for offenders, and improved response times for removal requests, is essential to breaking the cycle of environmental neglect and harm; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby authorizes the Committee on Streets and Services to examine the City’s response to illegal dumping, focusing on monitoring high-activity areas, enforcement strategies, and the development of effective tools to combat this issue.
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