Philadelphia residents sound off on substantial collection delays

South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, residents are speaking out on extended waste and recycling collection delays that have trash piling up around the city, ABC6 reports.

Due to COVID-related staffing shortages, inclement weather and higher volumes, the Philadelphia Streets Department is lagging behind in picking up residents’ trash. According to the ABC6 report, recycling has been left out in some areas for a month, with waste collection also lagging behind its normal pickup interval.

The accumulated trash has resulted in pest problems and subsequent litter scattered throughout the city.

"They say they're going to come and then they don't come, and it sits out here," Laura Williams, a city resident, told ABC6. "We have raccoons that live around here as much as people."

The issue is so bad, some residents are taking waste collection into their own hands. According to ABC6, the West Passyunk Neighbor's Association recently rented trucks to collect waste from 24 homes rather than wait for the city to haul it away.

A city spokesperson told the news outlet that despite economic shortcomings from COVID, no city sanitation workers have been laid off, and the department is instead planning to hire up to 120 more workers to address the delayed collections. Additionally, the city has launched a “Curb Your Waste” initiative, which encourages residents to reduce their waste by taking measures such as using their garbage disposals more, composting food waste and freezing leftovers instead of discarding them. The city also is prompting citizens to utilize sanitation convenience drop-off centers located throughout the city.