The End of Legacy Dumping?

Dear Eastwick Friend,

Thank you for your continued support as we enter our third month of weekly newsletters! Your commitment to staying informed and engaged is what fuels our collective efforts toward a safer, cleaner, and more empowered Eastwick.

Each week, we’ve shared stories that shine a light on the challenges our community faces—and more importantly, the solutions we’re creating together. From environmental justice to responsible development, your voice and action make a real difference.

In this edition, we focus on how one powerful testimony sparked citywide change and how you can keep the momentum going.

Let’s dive in.

A Testimony That Sparked Real Change

In early 2025, Eastwick resident and EFNC leader Ramona Rousseau-Reid stood before city leaders and told the truth:
Illegal dumping in our neighborhood had gone too far—and the silence was no longer an option.

Just one week after her testimony, many of the areas featured in previous newsletters were cleaned up. City workers removed debris from lots that had sat ignored for months. The community saw immediate results.

It was proof:
✅ There is a process to create change.
✅ We have power when we speak up and stay organized.

From Complaints to Citywide Enforcement

Eastwick’s story isn’t unique. Illegal dumping—also called “short dumping”—plagues vulnerable communities across Philadelphia. But thanks to collective pressure, new systems of accountability are emerging.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Cleaner & Greener Enforcement Unit (CGEU)
  Led by the District Attorney’s Office, this new task force is cracking down on illegal dumping using:
  

  • Surveillance cameras

  • Cell phone tracking

  • Tougher legal consequences
     🔗 Source: Philly DA
    
    

• Trash Academy & Clean Philadelphia Now
  A grassroots movement that’s pushing for:
  

  • Zero dumping by 2028

  • Citywide education campaigns

  • Infrastructure investment in neglected areas
     🔗 Source: Trash Academy
    
    

• Follow-Up from Councilman at Large Jim Harrity
  After hearing from Ramona and EFNC, Harrity took direct action by:
  

  • Advocating for stricter enforcement

  • Supporting new cleanup crews

  • Listening to Eastwick residents' demands

This collaboration between community and city officials is a turning point. It proves that when we demand change, people respond.

📣 Your Guide to Getting Involved

🧼 Organize a Cleanup Event
Pick Up PA is Pennsylvania’s largest community program. In support of the Great American Cleanup, now through May 31st, registered events are eligible for free work gloves, safety vests, and trash bags. Click here to learn more.

🗑️ Join a Cleanup Event
Volunteers are needed to help preserve and restore Philadelphia’s open space. Register here to join a Cobbs Creek Park Cleanup event every Saturday and Sunday.

📸 Be Part of Watchful Eye Town Watch
Help monitor your neighborhood for short dumping. Don’t engage with dumpers—just take a photo, record the plate, and report it to the EFNC network. We urge you to consider forming a Town Watch group by contacting the Integrated Town Watch Service Office at 215-686-1459 for training.

☎️  See Something, Say Something
If you observe illegal dumping, please report it immediately to 911 or 311.

🧠 Practice Conscious Consumption
Reduce waste at the source. Use reusable water bottles, avoid excessive plastic, and educate others about the environmental cost of overconsumption.

💬 Follow Clean Philly Now & Trash Academy
Stay up-to-date on research, policy updates, and funding opportunities. Their work helps amplify the work of groups like EFNC. Learn more here.

📝 Contact Your Council Member
Push for stronger enforcement, policy upgrades, and better surveillance. Let your representatives know this matters to you. Find your Council Member here.

From the Archives

Community Empowerment, Community Change
This foundational EFNC article highlights how organized community action can lead to lasting change. It’s a powerful reminder that advocacy—like Eastwick’s stand against dumping—makes a difference.
 🔗 Read it here

Until next time,

The EFNC team