City teams with other companies, non-profits to clean up illegal dumping site at Pennypack Park

PHILADELPHIA - City departments, local businesses, and nonprofits are working together to clear a notorious illegal dumping site at Pennypack Park in Northeast Philadelphia, removing tons of debris and planning new steps to keep the area clean.

Major cleanup removes decades of trash from Pennypack Park

What we know:

Since the project began, city officials say roughly 85 tons of debris and trash have been cleared from the site, with another 85 tons expected to be removed by the end of the week. 

The cleanup is part of ongoing work by the city’s Illegal Dumping Task Force, a collaboration between the city’s Office of Clean and Green, Parks & Recreation Department, Philadelphia Water Department, and Department of Sanitation, along with Geppert Brothers and other organizations.

The area, an extension of Pennypack Park with a roadway leading to several businesses, has a long history as an illegal dumping ground, according to city officials and neighbors. 

"They would dump furniture, equipment, everything. If they knocked a house down, all the parts of the house they’d dump right in there," said Rich DiGrasso, owner of All Pro Automotive right next to the site.

The current cleanup effort also focused on clearing a drainage area that city officials say should be open for water to drain into Pennypack Creek. 

"If water kind of runs through those materials, it picks up chemicals and other contaminants that make their way into our waterways... eventually it could reach our drinking water source, so it’s really important for us to protect this space," said Natalie Walker, Sustainability Director for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Neighbors and business owners say the mess has been a problem for years, and some are hopeful the changes will last. "I can’t watch it at night, you know what I mean , ut maybe if they put a fence there, they might be able to stop it," said DiGrasso.

City plans enforcement and prevention to stop future dumping

City officials say the next step is to prevent people from dumping trash again. They have funding to install signs, fencing, and possibly cameras to increase enforcement in the area. 

"There are clearly people that know this is place where they’ve been able to dump unseen for years, and we’re just not going to let that happen anymore," said Walker.

Some neighbors say the problem has been frustrating. 

"As far as trash, what do you got in your house? You’ll find it in this lovely creek," said Tony Heisler of Philadelphia. "There’s no reason for it, I don’t understand why," said Heisler.

Kristin Pelusi, a safety officer with Geppert Brothers, who provided equipment and crews to help with the clean-up, said, "We came about a little over a week ago, it was filled with trash all the way to the corner down there, all the way to the opposite end," she says. "It’s really disheartening as we clean it up, and we come back the next morning, and there’s more people that have dumped again what was once removed."

The city is asking residents to call 311 if they see trash or debris that needs to be cleaned up, but the current effort will not extend across the street into the park.

The backstory:

Rich DiGrasso, who has owned All Pro Automotive at Frankford and Holmesburg avenues for 26 years, said a true cleanup has been a long time coming. 

He and other business owners have complained about the dumping for years, but the problem persisted until now.

The illegal dumping site has affected both local businesses and the environment, with trash ranging from furniture to construction debris. 

The city’s renewed focus on cleaning and enforcement is part of a larger effort to protect public spaces and waterways.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear how effective the new signs, fencing, and cameras will be in stopping future dumping, or how long the area will remain clean after the current effort.