Harrisburg City Council member Ralph Rodriguez (right) and Public Works Director Dave West announced Hot Spot Saturdays.
Local officials are calling on residents to help clean up Harrisburg.
On Wednesday, Harrisburg City Council member Ralph Rodriguez announced his Hot Spot Saturdays initiative aimed at cleaning up illegal dumping with the help of volunteers.
“Blight and illegal dumping have been a massive issue in the city for as long as I can remember,” he said, during a press conference at the MLK Jr. City Government Center. “We are here to share a very strong message: your waste is not welcome here.”
The second annual event will utilize volunteer assistance on five days throughout the summer and target five illegal dumping hot spots around the city.
The dates for the cleanups are as follows:
- June 17- Camp Curtin, Uptown
- July 22- Cloverly Heights, Southside Harrisburg
- Aug. 12- Allison Hill
- Sept. 16- Midtown
- Oct. 7- S. 13th Street (near Hanover Street), Southside Harrisburg
According to Rodriguez, volunteers collected over 10 tons of trash during last year’s Hot Spot Saturdays, with help from Harrisburg’s Public Works Department and Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA). Illegally dumped trash can include anything from mattresses to furniture to construction material.
“We are on the attack when it comes to illegal dumping and blight,” said public works director Dave West. “The purpose is to clean our city and maintain it. It starts with you the residents to help us keep our city clean.”
To address illegal dumping in the city, West said that Harrisburg has a dozen cameras that are placed at hot spots around the city and moved periodically to other locations, to help catch culprits.
Additionally, in October 2022, city officials announced that, in partnership with Dauphin County, they hired Pete Baltimore to serve as the environmental enforcement officer. In his role, Baltimore works to deter dumping and catch lawbreakers.
According to West, once perpetrators are identified, public works turns over the information to the Harrisburg Police Bureau.
Even with the city’s prevention efforts, West stressed the importance of residents getting involved in initiatives like Hot Spot Saturdays, to help fight illegal dumping.
“We want to clean the city up and we need your help,” he said.
To register for Hot Spot Saturday, click here. For more information, email City Council member Ralph Rodriguez at rrodriguez@harrisburgpa.gov.
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