Mayor Cherelle Parker takes aggressive approach to illegal dumping with new clean and green initiatives
Philadelphia’s new Mayor Cherelle Parker is promising an aggressive focus on "clean and green" by taking a hard look at illegal dumping.
It’s part of her 100-day action plan.
Every week, Dwight Tolbert runs his four cocker spaniels near the long-shuttered Wharton Pepper Middle School in Eastwick.
Though his dogs seem to love it, Tolbert isn’t so sure. "Trash, it’s loaded even worse down there. You can’t even walk in here," said Tolbert.
Trash lines the street including household items, what looks to be motor oil, building debris, tires, and hulking, rotting furniture.
FOX 29's Jeff Cole spoke to Carlton Williams, Streets Commissioner turned Director of Clean and Green, a new position under Mayor Parker, who has an old challenge: remove the trash.
Williams argues trash destroys the quality of life in the city, impacts economic development and claims there’s a strong link between crime and grime.
Mayor Cherelle Parker targets Kensington clean up after declaring public safety emergency in Philadelphia
After declaring a public safety emergency in Philadelphia, Mayor Cherelle Parker is targeting a much-needed clean up of Kensington.
He said the city spends nearly two million dollars a year cleaning up illegal dumping sites like East Tioga Street in Port Richmond where tractors scoop debris into a truck.
Under Parker, he said there will be more investigations, prosecutions, and heftier fines for what’s called "short dumping."
After being sworn in as Philadelphia’s 100th mayor last week, Parker spoke of what she calls clean and green.
She said her administration would "clean up our neighborhoods, beautify our streets, work toward a more sustainable future."