How Legacy Dumping Impacts Our Community

Dear Eastwick Friend,

Welcome Back to the EFNC Newsletter!

Inside this first issue of our new EFNC Legacy Dumping Awareness Series—we’re focused on raising awareness about one of the Eastwick community’s most urgent and ongoing challenges: legacy dumping. Each week, we’ll share powerful stories from residents, dig into the root causes and long-term impacts of dumping in our neighborhoods, and offer practical ways you can help us fight back through community action and advocacy.

In this first edition, we introduce what legacy dumping really is, how it’s affected Eastwick for generations, and what EFNC is doing to stop it. You’ll also find ways to get involved—because building a cleaner, safer Eastwick starts with all of us.

From the Archives
To help you better understand the history behind our movement, we’re also including a From the Archives section at the end of each issue. This spotlight will feature key articles, past events, and milestones from EFNC’s long-standing efforts to eliminate legacy dumping and create lasting change. Take a moment to explore how far we’ve come—and what’s still ahead.

Let’s dive in.

Letter #1 : How Legacy Dumping Impacts Our Community

In Eastwick, a neighborhood rich in culture and history, the same story repeats itself.

Just days after a community cleanup team cleared a lot on Salt Lake Avenue, Ramona Rousseau-Reid returned to find it trashed again—this time with over 60 dumped tires. “It was spotless on Monday,” she said. “By Wednesday, it was as if no one had ever been there.”

Joanne Graham remembers hearing the term for the first time at just 17 years old, visiting Philadelphia for a concert. Now, decades later, the same problem still exists. “It’s been going on unaddressed for so long that it’s become part of our city’s legacy,” she said.

It's not just outsiders—sometimes it's local contractors or residents doing home repairs, unsure of where to legally discard waste. “They’ll just drop it off on Mari Alonso Boulevard or Suffolk Place. No consequences. No accountability.”

What is Legacy Dumping? A Generational Environmental Injustice

Legacy dumping refers to the repeated, illegal disposal of waste in historically underinvested communities—dumping that continues over decades without lasting solutions. It includes construction debris, tires, furniture, appliances, and other large-scale trash items often abandoned in vacant lots, roadways, and public spaces.

This issue is not unique to Eastwick. Urban neighborhoods across the U.S. face similar problems. But what makes Eastwick’s situation so stark is its consistency—and neglect. Despite being reported for years, many dumping sites are left untouched until residents themselves organize cleanups.

The City of Philadelphia receives over 10,000 illegal dumping complaints annually, yet few result in real enforcement or systemic change. In communities like Eastwick, it feels like the burden of cleanup—and of care—rests solely on the shoulders of its residents.

According to Fred Stine of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, even efforts to install cameras fell flat: “There were dozens of cameras—and just one part-time person to watch the footage. That’s not a solution.”

EFNC and its partners—Clean Philly Now, Trash Academy, Cobb’s Creek Ambassadors, and others—are fighting for more than just trash removal. They’re advocating for policy change, community education, and above all, enforcement and prevention.

“We need the city to do more than send trucks,” Ramona said. “We need them to protect us. To believe we deserve clean, safe, dignified spaces—just like any other neighborhood.”

📣 How You Can Help End Legacy Dumping

You have the power to shift the story.

🏙️ Be a Voice: Contact your City Council member. Tell them you support stronger enforcement of dumping laws and investments in prevention.

📱 Report Illegal Dumping: Use Philly311 or call 311 if you witness dumping in progress or see new trash piles.

🧤 Volunteer Locally: Join EFNC's cleanups or help document problem areas. Community-led efforts make a difference—and show the city we care.

📢 Spread the Word: Use the term Legacy Dumping. Let’s name the problem so we can dismantle it.

💌 Share Your Story: Have you experienced legacy dumping on your block? We want to hear from you. Reply directly to this newsletter or…
📧 Email us at [email protected]

From the Archives

1. "In Eastwick, a Landfill's Legacy Stirs Activism"

This article discusses the historical challenges faced by Eastwick residents due to the Clearview Landfill, also known as "Heller’s Dump." It highlights the community's ongoing struggles with environmental hazards, including illegal dumping, and their efforts to seek remediation and justice. The piece underscores the persistent environmental injustices and the community's activism in addressing these longstanding issues. Read more

2. "EPA Releases Clean-up Plans for Clearview Landfill"

This article provides an overview of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed cleanup plan for the Clearview Landfill, a site with a history of unpermitted dumping from the 1950s to the 1970s. The plan includes implementing an "Evapotranspiration (ET) Cover" to mitigate environmental hazards. The article emphasizes the importance of public participation in the cleanup process and encourages community members to review and comment on the proposed plans.​ Read more

3. "Eliminating 'Blight' in Modern Urban Planning"

This article critiques the designation of Eastwick as a "blighted" area, arguing that such labels have historically led to urban renewal projects that displace residents and exacerbate issues like illegal dumping. It calls for a reevaluation of urban planning practices and emphasizes the need for community involvement in development decisions to prevent further environmental and social injustices. Read more

Until next time,

The EFNC team