In an attempt to curb Philadelphia’s illegal dumping problem, advocates with Trash Academy have created interactive maps that chart areas where the issue persists. But co-founder Shari Hersh said the online maps are not necessarily meant to spur cleanup efforts.
“Cleaning has, unfortunately, no impact on ending dumping,” she said. “We need systems change to end dumping. Our goal is to end dumping — not accept it, not end it in most of the city, but all over the city.”
Trash Academy, an organization that advocates for waste reduction and environmental justice, began mapping dumpsites about two years ago to track the progress of city-sponsored cleanups and make lawmakers better informed of the issue’s prevalence within the communities they represent…