PHILADELPHIA, April 15, 2023 – On Saturday, Mayor Jim Kenney and the Philadelphia Streets Department kicked off Philadelphia’s 16th Annual Philly Spring Cleanup with a cleaning and press event at 81st St and Suffolk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. Volunteers worked on over 600 cleanup projects across the city between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“The Philly Spring Cleanup has become a Philadelphia tradition that brings neighbors together with one common goal of keeping their city clean and motivating those around them to do the same,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “We know there is a direct correlation between a clean neighborhood and how people feel and perceive the safety of their community. The Philly Spring Cleanup is another example of our unified commitment to improving this City for all who live, work, and play here.”
Among those who joined the mayor were Managing Director Tumar Alexander, Deputy Managing Director for the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (oTIS) Michael Carroll, Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams, Vincent Thompson, Communications Director for Councilman Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) and Ken Anderson, Vice President of Civic Affairs, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
The Philly Spring Cleanup has become a city tradition that brings together communities who want to take ownership of their blocks, neighborhoods, and parks by keeping them clean and green for present and future generations. “Thank you to all who have come out today to show their support for this great event,” said Managing Director Tumar Alexander. “It is important we continue this Philadelphia tradition, and it’s vital that we continue to educate each other on the value of keeping our city clean and safe for our kids, our neighbors, and ourselves.”
“We know that keeping our city clean and clear of trash is key for the health and well-being of all our residents,” said Deputy Managing Director for the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (oTIS) Michael Carroll. “While ongoing cleaning efforts are important, we also need to make a concerted effort to reduce waste before it can get onto our streets.”
The area of 81st St and Suffolk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia, was selected for the kick-off event as it is an area that is heavily impacted by excessive litter and illegal dumping. “Removing trash and debris from our neighborhoods is critical; however, it takes a significant amount of energy and resources to continually clean areas that have been overcome with litter, trash, and illegal dumping,” said Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams. “The theme of this year’s Philly Spring Cleanup is ‘Keep It Clean Philly’ to reiterate the importance of sustaining cleaning efforts long after the citywide cleanup day is over. The city cannot keep areas clean alone. By increasing private and community partner engagement–we can better rally our neighborhoods to reduce illegal dumping, remove litter, and improve our city.”
“The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia is honored to support and participate in this year’s Philly Spring Clean Up,” said Ken Anderson, Vice President of Civic Affairs, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “Many of our 1,500+ members are proud to call Philadelphia home, and together we can make our city a beautiful place to live, work and play.”
The Streets Department wrapped up the event by thanking all of this year’s project coordinators and participants who helped make this year’s cleanup a great success and reinforced the importance of the continuation of cleaning efforts throughout the remainder of the season.
The annual Philly Spring Cleanup is the largest single-day cleanup event in the city and serves as the kick-off event of the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC) cleaning season. Block captains and other stakeholders in communities across the city organize neighborhood cleanups and encourage residents to get involved in helping to make our great city a cleaner and greener place to live. Since its launch, a combined total of 200,000 volunteers have removed more than 11.4 million pounds of trash and 950,000 pounds of tires from city streets at over 7,000 project sites.
